Health committee  Yes, most definitely. I just think people look at British Columbia and they think it's a harm reduction province. That's incorrect. It's an everything province. We have scaled up treatment here. We have over 3,600 treatment beds right now that people can access. We also have harm reduction services.

Health committee  Yes, sir. Thank you. Stigma in our society is just as deadly as the drugs themselves. It's the main reason why people use alone and don't reach out for help and support. It's the main reason why people are dying as well. It's not just the drugs, but on top of that, the shame and just how you feel like such a failure.

Health committee  One hundred per cent. I think you have to look at our society too as to why people are using drugs. Go way up river before people fall in, and really give them the tools that are in place. Canada has been in a health crisis for many decades, where not as much has been put into it.

Health committee  Yes, most definitely. I've spoken in over 100 schools. I talk to youth and share my story of overcoming immense challenges throughout my life, and the variety of services that helped me get to where I am today. You know, as a person who understands and talks about the struggles I had as a youth, as well....

Health committee  I am concerned about the way Alberta has scaled back harm reduction, but I do like its approach to recovery, getting people stabilized on OAT. Unfortunately, we are seeing the results of the model through their data. Last year, B.C.'s increase in overdose deaths from 2022 was 6.9%.

Health committee  That's the million-dollar question. Honestly, it's been an absolute debacle, because you just can't stop drugs from getting into the country, unfortunately. The thing you can consistently look at is trying to reduce it. I've seen more drugs in prison than I've seen on the street, in some circumstances.

Health committee  I don't know what drugs these are. They are probably already banned, but they still get in. Drugs are banned in the country of Canada. You're not allowed to have fentanyl, or produce it or sell it, but it still comes into the country.

Health committee  You have to look at the individual, what they're learning in treatment and their ability to look at life-changing avenues. It's easy to say to people “go to treatment”. It's just very hard to stay sober. Also, treatment or completing treatment doesn't guarantee that you're going to be sober either.

Health committee  Well, ma'am, it's pretty simple: My kids wouldn't be on the planet. They came after 2013. The real big picture of it is that it's truly humbling. What I was struggling with was a lot of childhood trauma throughout my life and how I viewed myself as a person in society. Having the people in the supervised consumption site...it was overwhelming.

Health committee  First off, I think a lot of it has to deal with all the aspects of the four pillars, which are harm reduction, prevention, enforcement and treatment, and having those flow right right across the country. Obviously, with the toxic drug supply, it's really changed the dynamic of the things that we struggle with.

Health committee  Yes, if it were an addictions crisis, you could look back to decades past where alcohol consumption had the highest rate of addiction in the country forever. It was the number one drug, so if that was an addictions crisis, why didn't we call it an addictions crisis 20 years ago?

Health committee  When you overdose, there multiple times...and you wouldn't have a beautiful family and the life you live today, three kids, a career. You know, it just speaks to their importance. Harm reduction kept me alive until I was able to find my recovery, so I'm really grateful.

Health committee  Yes, most definitely. I mean, obviously, dead people don't recover. You also have a lot of people who use substances who don't struggle with an addiction. With the risk of the contaminated drug supply that's on our streets today, first-time substance users, intermittent substance users, casual substance users and people who struggle with addiction—people from all walks of life who use substances—are at severe risk of death.

Health committee  Thank you. Good morning, honourable members. My name is Guy Felicella. I'm here to speak to you today as someone who has struggled with drug use for more than two decades. I lived on the streets. I was a dealer. I went to jail. I survived six overdoses and severe infections before I found recovery.