Carolyn Bennett

[Health, September 26th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his tireless advocacy on this issue.

Too many lives have been lost to the toxic drug and overdose crisis. Ensuring local organizations have the necessary resources and capacity to support their communities is essential to ending this tragedy. The five innovative community-led projects we announced together will allow for increased safer supply capacity, as well as improved outreach for people dealing with problematic substance use. This funding will also help increase access to multiple supports for youth in the Guelph region and support training and certification for the truly effective peer support workers.

[Health, June 23rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Kitchener—Conestoga for the question and for his hard work and advocacy on mental health, but also on the importance of music and the arts.

We are committed to addressing disparities and promoting positive mental health. This funding has created comprehensive support systems for people in need of them. Investing in these community-led projects that address the mental health of children, youth, refugees, newcomers and their caregivers is an integral in our holistic approach to healing.

We will continue to support projects that have the potential to improve health outcomes, and will support mental health and address substance use of people across the country.

[Health, June 10th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy.

Our government has made historic investments in mental health through $5 billion in bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories, which now provides $600 million on an annual basis until 2027. We are engaging with the provinces and territories to inform the development of the new mental health transfer. We will need the help of all parties and a comprehensive evidence-based plan, including sharing data on indicators and outcomes.

We remain fully committed to the additional $4.5 billion over five years to support the mental health of Canadians.

[Health, June 2nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, our government is totally committed to ending the overdose crisis nationally. Bill C-216 would have immediately decriminalized possession of illegal drugs without addressing the complex issues of implementation.

Our government is moving forward on decriminalization through a responsible framework and in partnership with a jurisdiction that has a comprehensive plan that includes health and social supports, public engagement, law enforcement training, oversight and evaluation. Successful implementation of the exemption in B.C. will inform the approach of other jurisdictions, as well as a future national approach.

[Health, May 17th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question and his ongoing advocacy. I did speak with the expert panel yesterday. As we know, the opioid and toxic drug supply crisis is heartbreaking and has taken a tragic toll on families, loved ones and communities. Our government recognizes that problematic substance use is a public health issue and we are working with partners to develop comprehensive health strategies to address it, including diversion away from the criminal justice system to other supportive health and social services, as well as safer supply. Our approach builds on previous actions, including investments of over $800 million in community-led harm-reduction, treatment and prevention projects.

[Health, May 13th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question and also for his tireless advocacy for his territory and this issue.

The mental health promotion innovation fund supports community-led solutions to promote mental health and address the root causes of poor mental health and mental illness, especially for indigenous youth. The funding announced last week is part of the program's second phase of funding that supports 10 projects across Canada, for a total investment of $12.2 million.

Our government will continue to support projects with a holistic approach to healing by supporting individuals, families and communities.

[Health, May 13th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy on this and for the conversation that has been raised with his private member's bill. This is all very important conversation in this country. We recognize that problematic substance use is a health issue, and we too want to move it from the criminal justice system to the health system. We are doing everything we can to invest in safe consumption sites, safer supply and all of the alternatives that will eventually stop this terrible tragedy in Canada.

[Health, May 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I usually respect the questions from the member, but I find this quite annoying. Everything in mental health and addiction is being built up; there is nothing being traded away. This is a high priority in our government, and I really think that was a despicable question.

[Health, May 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the word was “collaboration”.

I want to say that on mental health, we think there is collaboration across the whole of the House, as we go forward with investing the $5 billion that was in the 2017 budget and move forward to the federal transfer eventually, once we have a strategy.

[Health, May 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy, but I think he has it a bit wrong. The effect of the NDP coalition—