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Minutes of Proceedings

Standing Committee on Health (HESA)
44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 112
Monday, April 29, 2024, 3:43 p.m. to 5:41 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Sean Casey, Chair (Liberal)

Expand AllCollapse All
• Élisabeth Brière for Yasir Naqvi (Liberal)
• Gord Johns for Peter Julian (NDP)
• Viviane Lapointe for Majid Jowhari (Liberal)
• Richard Lehoux for Laila Goodridge (Conservative)
Library of Parliament
• Kelly Farrah, Analyst
• Tu-Quynh Trinh, Analyst
Opioid Epidemic and Toxic Drug Crisis in Canada
As an individual
• Dr. Nickie Mathew, Physician
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
• Dr. Alexander Caudarella, Chief Executive Officer
Moms Stop the Harm
• Petra Schulz, Co-Founder
Projet Caméléon
• Dr. Marie-Eve Morin, General Practitioner, Addiction and Mental Health
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, the committee resumed its study of the opioid epidemic and toxic drug crisis in Canada.

The witnesses made statements and answered questions.

Motion

Stephen Ellis moved, — That, given

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s dangerous experiment of the decriminalization of drugs, such as cocaine, crack, methamphetamines, fentanyl, and more, in British Columbia has resulted in a significant increase in deadly drug overdoses and compromised the safety of Canadians;
  • The current drug decriminalization experiment has resulted in carnage and chaos, causing detrimental impacts on public health and community safety;
  • Last week, British Columbia's Premier David Eby has recognized the failings of this experiment, and called on the federal government to help them backtrack out of this reckless policy decision;
  • The City of Toronto has made a request to Health Canada asking for drug decriminalization, referring to it as the Toronto Model, drugs would be legal to use everywhere except childcare centers, K-12 schools and airports;
  • Canadians from coast to coast have been calling for the end of decriminalization, knowing that it is a recovery-oriented system that leads to saving lives, rebuilding families, and eliminating chaos;
The committee report to the House its recommendation that the government immediately dismantle all drug decriminalization programs in Canada.

Motion

Brendan Hanley moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 4.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

Motion

Laila Goodridge moved, — That, given

  1. a statement from the office of the federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health states that there will be a meeting with British Columbia’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to discuss drug decriminalization;
  2. three municipal councillors within the Greater Vancouver Metropolitan area have indicated they will bring motions to their respective councils to formally call on the provincial and federal to end the drug decriminalization pilot;
pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee add an additional two meetings to the study of the opioid epidemic and toxic drug crisis in Canada to discuss decriminalization; and that the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health and Health Canada be invited for no less than two hours; and British Columbia’s Minister for Mental Health and Addictions and DJ Larkin of Canadian Drug Policy Coalition be invited for no less than two hours.

Motion

Marcus Powlowski moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Élisabeth Brière, Brendan Hanley, Gord Johns, Viviane Lapointe, Marcus Powlowski, Sonia Sidhu, Luc Thériault — 7;

NAYS: Todd Doherty, Stephen Ellis, Laila Goodridge, Robert Kitchen — 4.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

At 5:41 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Aimée Belmore
Clerk of the committee