Mr. Speaker, I rise to sound the alarm on a national emergency that is devastating families across the country: the drug crisis.
I listened carefully to the Speech from the Throne. I was disappointed and, frankly, alarmed that this crisis was barely acknowledged. Just 18 words were offered on a tragedy that has claimed 50,000 Canadian lives in the past decade. Fifty thousand Canadians have died from overdoses since 2015, which is more than all the Canadian soldiers who died in the Second World War, yet the government continues to downplay it.
The Prime Minister even said on the campaign trail that Canada is facing a “challenge”, not a crisis. He is dead wrong. In British Columbia, overdose is now the leading cause of death for youth aged 10 to 18. In February, a 14-year-old girl died alone at home in Surrey. In July 2024, a 13-year-old girl in Prince George lost her life to overdose.
When will this Liberal government put an end to its reckless drug policy and failed decriminalization experiment?