House of Commons Hansard #200 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was use.

Topics

Business of the HouseGovernment Orders

3:45 p.m.

Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe New Brunswick

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalMinister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Mr. Speaker, when we return the Monday after the week in our ridings, the agenda will include debate at third reading of Bill S‑5, an act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

Tuesday and Thursday will be opposition days. On Wednesday, we will resume debate at second reading of Bill C‑42, an act to amend the Canada Business Corporations Act.

On Friday, we will begin debate on Bill C‑40, miscarriage of justice review commission act, also known as David and Joyce Milgaard's law.

I would also like to take this opportunity to inform members that we have posted the position of law clerk and parliamentary counsel in the House of Commons. I encourage members to share that job posting so that we can be sure to find a permanent law clerk as soon as possible to support the important work that we do as parliamentarians.

Again, we have done the process in French and English.

With that, I would like to wish all parliamentarians a wonderful constituency week. I know that we are going to be busy in our ridings.

Business of the HouseGovernment Orders

3:45 p.m.

Conservative

Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order. I do not bring points of order up very often, but I just had a phone call from the member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies. There was a little confusion about his vote, with the picture not coming up on his mobile app. He is in his riding, and he is participating in dealing with the fires that are up there. I think it is already clear that his vote was recorded as a no, but that is just a little context as to why it was maybe a bit of a problem in his geography.

Business of the HouseGovernment Orders

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

Yes, we already said that we would look into it, and we will get back to the House with some kind of an answer on that.

The hon. Minister of Official Languages is rising.

Business of the HouseGovernment Orders

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB

Mr. Speaker, I forgot to mention part of the important work for next week. If you would allow me to continue, I want to make sure all members of the House are fully aware of the work to be done when we return.

Pursuant to Standing Order 81(4), I would like to designate Monday, May 29, for consideration in committee of the whole of all votes under the Department of Finance in main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

Furthermore, in relation to this upcoming debate, I would like to ask for unanimous consent to adopt the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any standing order, special order, or usual practice of the House, during the debate on the business of supply pursuant to Standing Order 81(4) on Monday, May 29, 2023:

(a) the time provided for consideration of the Main Estimates in committee of the whole be extended beyond four hours, as needed, to include a minimum of 16 periods of 15 minutes each;

(b) members rising to speak during the debate may indicate to the Chair that they will be dividing their time with one or more other members; and

(c) no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.

Business of the HouseGovernment Orders

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

All those opposed to the hon. minister's moving the motion please say nay. Agreed.

The House has now heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)

Amendment to Bill C-281 at Committee Stage—Speaker's RulingPoints of OrderGovernment Orders

3:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I am now prepared to rule on the point of order raised yesterday, May 17, by the parliamentary secretary to the government House Leader regarding an amendment adopted by the Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Development during the clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-281, an act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), the Broadcasting Act and the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act.

The parliamentary secretary explained that the committee adopted an amendment to clause 2 of the bill that creates a new obligation on the minister to develop and maintain a government-wide international human rights strategy. According to the parliamentary secretary, this amendment proposes a new concept that exceeds the scope of the bill as adopted at second reading. The parliamentary secretary argued that, for this reason, the amendment in question should be struck from the bill as reported by the committee.

When this amendment was proposed at the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, the committee chair ruled the amendment inadmissible on the grounds that it was beyond the scope of the bill. The decision was challenged and overturned. The committee then debated the amendment and adopted it.

When considering legislation, the House and its committees are guided by specific procedural rules that have been long established. In relation to the scope of a bill, House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition, states the following on page 770:

An amendment to a bill that was referred to a committee after second reading is out of order if it is beyond the scope and principle of the bill.

Bill C-281 does amend several acts, and it does create certain new obligations on the minister in relation to human rights. However, after a close reading of the bill, the new responsibilities for the minister are limited to specific areas, including communicating with families of prisoners of conscience and producing formal responses to House and Senate committees.

After careful consideration, it is the opinion of the Chair that the amendment creates a new obligation requiring the designated minister to develop and maintain a government-wide international human rights strategy. The Chair of the committee correctly concluded that the amendment is beyond the scope of the bill, as it introduced a new concept not envisioned in the bill when it was adopted by the House at second reading.

When a committee considers a bill at clause-by-clause, the committee chair must ensure that the proceedings on the bill conform to the procedural rules governing the consideration of amendments to bills. This includes ensuring that the committee’s review of the bill falls within the scope and principle as established by the House at second reading.

When a committee fails to adhere to the will of the House as it pertains to bills, it oversteps its authority, as delegated to the committee by the House. Speaker Milliken said it well when, on May 11, 2010, at page 2650 of the Debates, he explained:

As has been frequently noted, the Speaker’s involvement in committee matters is limited except in cases where a committee has exceeded its authority. The adoption of amendments that are beyond the scope of a bill is such a case....

While some members may be of the opinion that a different bill, perhaps broader in scope, ought to have been introduced, I must base my decision on the bill that actually was introduced and approved by the House at second reading.

As such, the Chair rules the amendment adopted by the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development null and void and orders that it no longer form part of the bill as reported by the committee. The Chair also orders a reprint of the bill at the earliest opportunity for use by the House in its consideration of subsequent stages of the bill. However, given that the House is scheduled to consider Bill C-281 at report stage later this day, so as not to disrupt the business currently before the House, report stage will proceed based on the version of the bill as reported back from committee, with the understanding that when the bill will be reprinted, the text of the inadmissible amendment in question, at clause 2, will not be included.

I thank members for their attention.

The House resumed consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

3:55 p.m.

Bloc

Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Mr. Speaker, on the motion that we are debating today, I get the impression that no one is budging from their position.

When I was teaching I used a book as an analogy. If I describe a cover and the person across from me describes the other cover, we will not have the same description. However, in the end, what matters are the pages between those two covers. Here, the objective is to find and implement everything we can to help people who have an addiction, whether that is services, protected sites or safe supply.

I would like my colleague to talk about the importance of health transfers for ensuring adequate service delivery to people who are addicted.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question, which is very important.

I am pleased that we are in the process of implementing bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories, including the Yukon territory, which I represent.

I also want to ensure that mental health and addictions services are a priority in these agreements.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

3:55 p.m.

NDP

Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU

Uqaqtittiji, I appreciate the member's willingness to make sure that more indigenous peoples get the supports they need.

A couple of weeks ago, I met with members of the Kluane First Nation, which has been seeking supports and assistance from the federal government for quite a few years now. Could the member describe what supports are being provided in this kind of area for places like the Kluane First Nation?

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT

Madam Speaker, given the disproportionate impact that first nations people in Yukon are feeling from the toxic drug crisis, that is a very important question from the hon. member for Nunavut.

I am in conversation with Kluane First Nation and many others to help support their needs and their requests, such as on-the-land treatment and more wraparound social supports, including not only mental health counselling availability but also prevention. The territorial government is also involved in these discussions.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

3:55 p.m.

Liberal

Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC

Madam Speaker, I rise in this chamber today to speak on this motion.

In my riding, the community of Richmond Centre, I have heard of many heartbreaking incidents. Michael, an artist, an empath and a gentle, compassionate young individual passed away at age 26 from a tainted supply of drugs. Curtis was an intelligent, caring and adventurous person. He was 36 when he passed away from drug overdoses and poisonings. Countless incidents like these happen in British Columbia and across Canada. It breaks my heart to see mothers, fathers, friends and families lose their dearly loved ones.

Last year, in Richmond, 29 people died of drug poisoning, and 2,314 died in British Columbia. On CBC news today, it said that in British Columbia 206 people were suspected to have died of toxic drugs in April alone this year.

Let us talk about the link between mental health and substance use. We know that mental health and substance use is affecting more and more Canadians and requires collaboration across all levels of government as well as with other partners in our community. It is for that reason that, in 2021, Canada’s first-ever ministry of mental health and addictions was created, and showed the interconnected nature of mental health with substance use.

It has also highlighted our government’s commitment to take action through an integrated approach on these issues that have significantly impacted individuals, their families and communities. It is important to stress that mental illness and substance use often go hand in hand. People with mental illnesses are twice as likely to have a substance use disorder compared to the general population.

Substance use can also increase the underlying risk of mental health issues and can exacerbate the symptoms of existing mental health issues. In fact, 50% of people in treatment for substance use also live with mental illness. We know that childhood trauma, low income, lack of access to stable housing, discrimination, racism, and the historical and ongoing effects of colonization and the residential school system on indigenous communities all play a major factor.

There are many challenges faced by Canadians experiencing mental illness and harms from substance use. These include a lack of available services and supports close to home, care that is not comprehensive or responsive to an individual’s needs, and the experience of stigma and discrimination, both in seeking care and in society.

Youth and young adults, indigenous peoples, Black Canadians and those identifying as LGBTQ2S+ are among those Canadians impacted the most. As a result of unmet or under-addressed mental health and substance use needs, individuals and communities face significant health, social and economic burdens. This includes paying out of pocket for services, increased emergency department visits and public safety concerns.

Our government has long recognized that Canadians with mental health and substance use needs require ongoing supports to meet a complexity of needs. We have seen the record of the Conservatives on this issue. They stand up in the chamber and use stigmatizing language to try and play politics with this issue, and act like they are not misleading Canadians with a bias or one-sided perspective on this crisis.

Canadians have spoken of the complexity of these mental health and substance use issues, and how often they are interconnected with other social issues, such as homelessness.

For example, we know that up to 75% of women experiencing homelessness also experience mental illness. In British Columbia, 67% of people experiencing homelessness or housing instability identified substance use issues, and 51% identified mental health as a concern.

Accessing appropriate housing options that provide ready access to needed wraparound supports can be a significant challenge, due to housing shortages and maintenance issues with existing housing; insufficient community-based, trained provider capacity; and silos between health, housing and social sectors.

This is why our government is investing in affordable housing for Canadians, including $4 billion through the rapid housing initiative, aimed at quickly creating new affordable housing for individuals who have severe housing needs and are at risk of being homeless.

Ensuring Canadians have access to housing, social supports and the health services they need is a major preoccupation of municipal and community leaders. Our government is working with them, and with the provinces and territories, to break down silos, so Canadians can have access to the integrated supports they need.

We are also committed to working with indigenous governments and communities to support access to a comprehensive range of evidence-based, culturally appropriate and trauma-informed services and supports needed to support mental health and substance use issues that individuals are facing, including the opioid overdose crisis, and to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.

Through the mental wellness program, Indigenous Services Canada is providing supports for substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment and aftercare, psychosocial wraparound services and trauma-informed health supports to indigenous communities. In addition, our government has provided targeted supports for innovative community-based projects that address mental health and substance use issues.

The opposition members will stand up and say that the government is not putting resources into treatment, but since 2017, we have invested more than $400 million in over 380 projects through the substance use and addictions program to support community-based organizations.

In 2018, our government committed $150 million over five years to address the opioid crisis through the emergency treatment fund, which also had funds cost-matched by provinces and territories: over $300 million in funding for substance use treatment across Canada.

This shows how much we are putting into treatments and how we should not be taking lessons from a party that wants to revert to Harper-era policies. Tackling the opioid overdose crisis requires a holistic and integrated approach that focuses on mental health and well-being. That is what this government has been doing, so that Canadians can be resilient and healthy now and into the future.

Enough is enough.

We will not be able to bring loved ones home if they are dead from toxic supplies. This is a fight that we must triumph. This is a non-partisan issue, and we will prevail with collaboration with provinces, territories, municipalities and local community organizations, such as, in my riding, the Richmond Addiction Services Society, Turning Point Recovery Society and Pathways Clubhouse.

I want to thank the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions for her continuous championship on this matter, and all the first responders, frontline workers and health care workers for all they do.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:05 p.m.

Conservative

Stephen Ellis Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS

Madam Speaker, it is interesting. Earlier in the House we heard about vaping numbers going up. What we know in this opioid crisis is that the Liberal government is installing vending machines for high-potency drugs in Vancouver and Victoria. I wonder if the member opposite might think that it would be appropriate to give free vaping products in high school vending machines.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:05 p.m.

Liberal

Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC

Madam Speaker, I would like to take a common-sense approach. Would anyone want their kids to access toxic drugs through a vending machine or want drugs to be accessible in the community, so that children have easy access to substances that are harmful to their health? I think our government is working very hard to create more programs to support the people in need in this overdose crisis.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Bloc

Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. I read the Conservative motion and I noticed that it uses a rather harsh word. It refers to deadly programs.

Personally, I do not get the impression that the government is trying to kill people. I would like my colleague to comment on that. What is the actual purpose of these programs? I doubt it is to kill people.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member her question. I hope she will excuse me for responding in English.

Our government is invested heavily in harm reduction with the four pillars recognized internationally as the necessary, successful substance use strategy, which is based on prevention, enforcement, treatment and harm reduction. However, if people die, there is no way for us to help them or offer them any treatments we provide. Therefore, it is important for us to understand what is needed in our communities to address this opioid crisis.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Madam Speaker, we know Conservatives are trying to mischaracterize the entire situation. One of the effects of the harm reduction approach that is being proposed is that it helps connect people to other health services, including the possibility of treatment and rehab. However, if they do not make that connection, that is never going to happen.

My question for the member is this. When Conservatives say we should eliminate harm reduction initiatives, such as safer supply, how on earth would we be able to successfully connect people to other services when we cannot even reach them?

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC

Madam Speaker, I absolutely agree. To parse that, as a government, we need to look after Canadians, and it is important for us to really bridge the connection between mental wellness and substance use. It is important that we do not stigmatize this topic, because that would create fear in the community and we would be misleading Canadians. That will not help this opioid crisis. It is important for us to address the fact that we are here to prevent deaths in our communities because of the opioid crisis.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Chad Collins Liberal Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON

Madam Speaker, it is important to note that the Leader of the Opposition was part of a government that tried to muzzle scientists with respect to climate change. He was also part of a Conservative team that undermined public health officials with respect to the pandemic and all things related to the vaccine.

Now the Leader of the Opposition pretends to know more than trained professionals and doctors with respect to the opioid crisis we are dealing with.

My question for my friend and colleague is this. Can he reiterate why it is so important to rely on doctors and the medical profession as it relates to the response to this crisis?

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC

Madam Speaker, I would say it is important for us to base our response on science and facts, not on quotes from media sources that offer no evidence behind them. It is important for us to understand what helps to minimize deaths in the community.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Kerry-Lynne Findlay Conservative South Surrey—White Rock, BC

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan.

Today, we are addressing the health of our nation. After eight years of the Prime Minister, everything feels broken, especially in my home province of British Columbia. Drugs, disorder and violent crime are all on the rise in our neighbourhoods. People are lining up at food banks in record numbers because they cannot afford groceries. Many cannot afford a home, and, worst of all, the opioid crisis is claiming the lives of our sons and daughters. Under the watch of the Prime Minister, there have been 34,000 opioid deaths, and that number is growing by the day. In B.C. alone, overdose deaths are up 330%, by far the worst rate of all the provinces.

The B.C. coroner released a report today, saying that 206 people died of overdose in April. That is 206 people, including one at a safe injection site, who died in one month. The report said that 70% of victims were between the ages of 30 and 59. People in that age bracket should be buying a home, having children and enjoying a successful career. Instead, in the Prime Minister's Canada, they are chasing their next hit. Why is that? It is because all three levels of government, including the federal Liberals, the provincial NDP, this NDP caucus and left-wing mayors and councils, have decriminalized illicit drugs, flooded the streets with so-called safe supply and failed to create the treatment and connection needed for people suffering with addictions to build a drug-free life.

Over 800 people have died in the first four months of this year. If overdose deaths continue at this pace, we could lose up to 2,400 British Columbians this year. Death by overdose cannot be normalized. Instead, we need treatment and recovery. These programs will help those struggling with addictions and we need them now.

The Liberal-NDP coalition is flooding our streets with drugs and supercharging this opioid crisis. One Global News reporter took to the streets of Vancouver to find out where all these safe supply drugs are going. The reporter was able to buy 26 hits of safe supply drugs for only $30, in just 30 minutes, in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Outreach workers in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside claim that the safe supply hydromorphone tablets can be bought for as little as 25¢ per pill on the streets. It is no wonder that the B.C. coroner reports that seven people per day are dying from drug overdoses in my province.

This heavy amount of free drugs on our streets perpetuates the addiction cycle, prolongs suffering and prevents recovery. It is leading to more deaths, not fewer. How many more Canadians must die before the Prime Minister learns that treatment, not free drugs, saves lives? We need to help get people off drugs so that they can effectively address their addiction issues, enjoy improved health, reconnect with family, get jobs and become contributing members of society.

Let us be clear. The government's radical agenda is fuelling the opioid crisis. It uses the term “safe supply” as though it were a medical term, but, in truth, that phrase is nothing more than marketing jargon used by big pharma. Let us speak the truth. There is nothing safe about safe supply.

The Liberal and NDP drug pushers point to other jurisdictions that have decriminalized hard drugs to justify their radical agenda. For example, they say that Portugal set the gold standard for decriminalization of illicit drugs, but they forgot to mention that Portugal ensured that treatment and recovery services were expanded before they changed the laws. They also omit that health outcomes in Portugal have worsened since that country decreased treatment services.

What is worse is that they are ignoring a made-in-Canada model that is saving lives in Alberta. That province has become a beacon of hope for how lives can be turned around, with professional, caring drug treatment services. I hear members clapping; it is worth clapping for. Overdose deaths are down in that jurisdiction by 30%, while B.C. overdose deaths continue to climb.

We know that merely providing safe supply drugs will never get people out of an addiction cycle. When Conservatives form government, we will follow Alberta's example by building world-class recovery communities and implementing similar services around the country to save lives.

We also need to consider the impact that the so-called safe supply program is having on our youth. On the streets of Vancouver, people living with addictions are selling these cheap drugs to kids. They then use the money to buy stronger, deadlier fentanyl. Impressionable youth are accessing this cheap, plentiful supply of highly addictive drugs as a gateway to harder, more dangerous substances. In plain terms, the safe supply program is a direct threat to the lives of our youth.

A report from the B.C. coroner confirmed that overdose victims are trending younger and that opioid addiction among B.C.'s youth is increasing. Speaking as a mother, I say that we cannot allow the government to ignore the evidence when our teenaged sons and daughters are lying face down on a sidewalk in a zombie-like state. Safe supply drugs are putting youth on the path to hard-core addictions, and this needs to stop. Too many parents have lost children to drug overdoses in this country.

The story of Jack Bodie, from Burnaby, is far too common. Jack was a productive and active 17-year-old boy who was deeply loved by his family. Tragically, Jack snorted half a pill laced with fentanyl. Inhaling the drug slowed down Jack's breathing and heartbeat, and within minutes, his entire system shut down and he passed away. Jack's death sent his family into deep and profound grief. His dad, now a treatment and recovery advocate, maintains that the real tragedy is that there are thousands of families across Canada dealing with the same grief that he faced over the death of a child due to a drug overdose.

Police constable David Steverding works in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and he is a member of the Odd Squad, a group of dedicated police officers who provide drug use prevention education to youth throughout Canada. The constable has worked with hundreds of people living with addiction, and with their families. He said that people often say using drugs is a personal choice and a victimless crime, but that these comments overlook the friends and family members, who, he notes, are often completely helpless, standing by and watching while the drug user spirals downhill.

To the families that have tragically lost sons and daughters to a drug overdose, my message is this: We will make sure their child did not die in vain. We will scrap the dangerous social experiment of safe supply and ensure other kids who struggle with addictions get the treatment they need so they can come home to their families drug-free. The consultants and big pharma that turbocharge opioid marketing will pay for it. We will hold them to account as government policy.

Recovery, treatment and rehabilitation are how we are going to bring home our loved ones. It is how we will turn hurt into hope. It is the common sense of the common people. Hope is possible, and hope is on the way.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:20 p.m.

Bloc

Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC

Madam Speaker, the Conservative Party sometimes insinuates that the Liberal government wanted to legalize all drugs.

British Columbia, for example, decriminalized some substances so that people with addictions could be connected to the right resources and get the right care.

Would the Conservative solution not end up packing prisons with people who have a serious health problem, thereby reinforcing the social stigmas against these people who need help and who want to quit using?

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Kerry-Lynne Findlay Conservative South Surrey—White Rock, BC

Madam Speaker, shame on that member for what he just stated. There was nothing in what I said that said anything about prisons. That is ridiculous. We are talking about treatment, recovery and support for those who are suffering from addictions. Shame on him.

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Stephen Ellis Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS

Madam Speaker, I thank the great member for South Surrey—White Rock for such an interesting speech, and for taking a very complex subject and making it understandable for all Canadians.

Can the member comment briefly on the wisdom of spending $3.5 million in taxpayer money on these vending machines, three of which are in Vancouver and one in Victoria, her home province, and increasing access to powerful opioid-type medications?

Opposition Motion—Opioid CrisisBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Kerry-Lynne Findlay Conservative South Surrey—White Rock, BC

Madam Speaker, the member is a medical doctor, so he is always very knowledgeable on these subjects.

Of course I do not agree with this. The easier the access, the harder it is to deal with the problems that come from that easy access. These are young people whose brains are still developing. A brain is not fully developed until one is in their mid-20s. We know that, and we know the effects of drugs. Even so-called softer drugs, like marijuana, can lead to psychosis and paranoia and can unmask schizophrenia. Now, we are talking about drugs where a 17-year-old can snort half a pill and die. It is irresponsible and unreasonable to spend taxpayers' dollars to give young people access, such as at a vending machine, to hard drugs. It is unforgivable, actually.