Thank you so much.
My next question is for Mary Bartram.
You spoke a bit about consumption. Our party, the NDP, put forward a bill regarding a health-based approach to substance use. It was defeated, unfortunately.
The British Columbia Centre on Substance Abuse said:
As well, we must end racism and sexism against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited people as described in the Report of the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls. In 2020, women accounted for 32 percent of toxic drug deaths amongst First Nations people in BC, twice the rate of the general population.
Another article stated, “The coroners service in British Columbia says more females are dying from illicit drug use.” I'm sharing this because I find that as elected officials, instead of taking a public health approach to toxic drug supply use, which is impacting certain groups more prominently than others....
Why is it important to take a health-based approach to consumption, rather than an approach based on stigma?