Carolyn Bennett

[Health, May 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. Mental health is an integral part of overall health, and it is a priority for our government. Since 2015, we have made historic investments to support the mental health of Canadians, including $5 billion for the provinces and territories to increase access to mental health services, $598 million for a distinctions-based mental health strategy for indigenous peoples, and $270 million for the Wellness Together portal.

We must do better.

[Health, May 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the recognition that this is Mental Health Week, as we increase awareness coast to coast to coast.

As members know, in 2017 we dedicated $5 billion to this over the next 10 years. We have added $45 million to develop the national standards that would become the strategy. That would then become the transfer. We have to build this bottom up with those who have lived and living experiences.

[Health, May 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and his ongoing advocacy. As he knows, mental health is health, and our government has made mental health a priority. In 2017, we made $5 billion available to provinces and territories in bilateral agreements. It is for 10 years: up until 2027. We have established $45 million for the national mental health care standards. Through that, we will get a mental health strategy and have a plan to be able to negotiate with provinces and territories for the very important mental health transfer.

[Health, April 26th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I will just thank him for his advocacy now.

All people in Canada deserve access to critical mental health resources. Yesterday, I was able to announce $2 million for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to help develop resources to assist distress centres in meeting the diverse needs of disproportionately affected people, as well as almost $1.8 million for 13 distress centres across Canada to help them better connect to appropriate supports. This funding is part of a $50-million federal commitment to distress centres and to building a network to ensure that people get what they need when they need it.

[Health, April 26th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore for his ongoing, impressive leadership and all—

[Health, April 25th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy. Our hearts are with the families of all those people we have lost to suicide.

As members know, we have asked the CRTC to be expeditious in getting this work done, including for persons with disabilities. It means we are working to leverage the work that the United States has been doing on this since 2018. This is a complicated issue and we want to make sure that when people call, they are connected to the most appropriate care in the most appropriate manner.

We will get this done together. This morning, we announced $3.7 million for distress centres across this country so that we will have a coordinated way to make sure we prevent the loss of lives.

[The Opioid Crisis in Canada, February 8th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, that could not be further from the truth. My very first trip was to go and learn from the people doing this life-saving work every day in Vancouver and to listen to people with lived experiences. What they are saying is that we have to move forward on safe supply. We have to get the ideology out of this and have pharmaceutical-grade narcotics available for people using drugs.

We had put $700 million into this program, in terms of substance use and addictions, and another $500 million into the platform. We will get this done, but it needs to be a comprehensive approach with all of the modalities. All of the creative, innovative things that are happening across this country need to know they have a serious partner with the federal government.

[The Opioid Crisis in Canada, February 8th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his passion and for the private member's bill that he has now tabled, which we will be able to work on together. I look forward to being able to work on these things, particularly safe supply, as he knows. At this moment, the public prosecution service has given guidance that people possessing small amounts of drugs should not be arrested.

It is the toxic drug supply that is killing people. It is the need for safe supply. We have put $60 million into safe supply, but in terms of those 17 projects, we need to do more. That is what I heard when I walked in the downtown east side. People who use drugs should not die doing so. We cannot help people who are dead.

[The Opioid Crisis in Canada, February 8th, 2022]

moved:

That this committee take note of the opioid crisis in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Yukon.

I join you today from the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, where we honour all indigenous peoples who paddled these waters and whose moccasins walked this land.

I want to begin by thanking the member for Yukon for his unbelievable hard work and dedication, both as Yukon's former chief medical officer of health and now as its member of Parliament, to end the toxic drug supply and opioid overdose crisis in Canada. I would also like to thank him for advocating so strongly for this important national debate to take place here in the House of Commons.

Our hearts go out to all the loved ones in communities of those we have lost to the worsening toxic drug supply and to opioid overdoses. For decades, effective drug policy has had four pillars: prevention, harm reduction, treatment and enforcement. Unfortunately, progress on harm reduction has met significant obstacles based upon ideology and not evidence.

Our government is working with provinces, territories and communities to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based strategy to address this ongoing tragedy. Over 20 years ago, Insite, the first safe consumption site, opened in Vancouver. It continues to save lives. The evidence is clear. Harm reduction measures save lives.

Since 2017, supervised consumption sites across Canada have reversed 27,000 overdoses without a single death on-site. Communities across Canada now have increased access to lifesaving Naloxone, including remote and isolated indigenous communities. Our government will use every tool at our disposal to end this national public health crisis.

People are dying from toxic substances in the drug supply, and we will not turn the tide of the growing death toll until we address that reality. The pandemic has led to an even more uncertain and dangerous illegal drug supply, resulting in significant increases in overdose-related deaths. The provision of a safer supply of drugs is essential to help prevent overdoses, and it is a vital part of our comprehensive approach to the opioid overdose crisis.

Our government has invested over $60 million to expand access to a safe supply of prescription opioids. We also need to divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system and toward supportive and trusted relationships in the health system.

The Public Prosecution Service of Canada has issued guidance stating that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for simple possession offences. My colleague, the Minister of Justice, has also introduced Bill C-5 to get rid of the previous government's failed policies, which filled our prisons with low-risk first-time offenders who needed help, not to be put in jail.

This legislation would provide further space to treat simple drug possession as a health issue. Health Canada is also currently reviewing several requests from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto Public Health for section 56 exemptions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to decriminalize the personal possession of drugs.

We are working closely with our provincial, territorial and municipal partners and with other key stakeholders such as the impressive network Moms Stop the Harm, with more than $700 million to reduce the risks, save lives and give people the evidence-based support they need.

Canadians can rest assured that fighting the opioid crisis remains a priority for this government. We will continue to do everything possible to save lives and put an end to this public health crisis.

[Health, February 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, like the member opposite, our government recognizes that problematic substance use is a health issue. We are working very hard to divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system. The Public Prosecution Service of Canada issued guidance stating that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for simple possession offences.

Our comprehensive approach builds on the action of $700 million in investments to community-led harm reduction, treatment and prevention projects. We will continue to work with this member and do everything we can to save lives and end this national public health crisis.