Mr. Speaker, last week, we had an overdose alert in Waterloo region.
In just three days, front-line workers responded to 42 suspected overdoses. So far this year, we have lost 120 community members to a poisoned drug supply. Each one was a preventable death.
Even the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police have joined calls to decriminalize simple possession of illicit drugs. They have recommended removing mandatory criminal sanctions, replacing them with harm reduction and treatment services.
When will the government move forward with decriminalization and save lives?