44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 18, 2023 02:00PM
- Oct/18/23 7:33:46 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour to be in the House tonight for an adjournment debate with my hon. colleague. I agree with the member that the unfettered marketing of opioids to people in the United States and in Canada has led to extreme amounts of harm. Our government is here to ensure that we achieve accountability with Purdue Pharma.
We are currently working with provinces and territories on the substance use challenge that our country faces. I do understand that the member has a different opinion on how to deal with substance use and addiction. However, we are entitled to our own opinions, but not our own facts.
Substance use harms extend far beyond overdose deaths. The complicated and very multi-faceted nature of substance use harms and the intersection of the overdose crisis with several complex social issues such as mental health, homelessness, experiences of trauma and multi-generational impacts of colonialization means that the most vulnerable people in Canada are the most impacted by this crisis.
That is why we need a comprehensive, integrated and evidence-based response that is grounded on the four internationally recognized pillars of substance use policy, which the member opposite and the Conservative Party do not seem to understand. They are prevention, harm reduction, treatment and enforcement. It is not one or the other, and not one against the other, but all four of those principles.
The toxic drug supply is killing people. People do not know what they are consuming. People fear criminalization, which leads them to use alone and die alone.
In 2018, the Province of British Columbia commenced a proposed class action suit on behalf of all federal, provincial and territorial governments against 50 opioid manufacturers and distributors for allegedly acting inappropriately in the sale and distribution of opioids in Canada.
In addition, British Columbia commenced a separate proposed class action in December 2021 on behalf of all federal, provincial and territorial governments against McKinsey & Company, which allegedly acted inappropriately in the course of providing consulting and advisory services to opioid manufacturers and distributors in relation to marketing and promotion of opioids in Canada.
The Government of Canada supports provinces and territories in their efforts to recover health care costs from any company that acted inappropriately in the marketing and distribution of opioids, and we will be a party to these litigations should they be certified.
I appreciate the interest of the opposition on this issue and his agreeing that it is an important thing to do. The accountability is absolutely necessary but they can see that we are already acting on the issue. I fully invite the member and his party to continue supporting us in ending the crisis instead of continually raising stigma. This litigation is an example of the significant co-operation that exists with provinces and territories as we work together to address the overdose crisis.
That is what this crisis is calling for, co-operation across party lines and across orders of government in collaboration with all of our partners. The health and safety of Canadians is our government's first and top priority. Since the start of this overdose crisis, we have taken significant actions and made commitments of more than $1 billion to respond.
We cannot end this crisis alone. It is our collective obligation and responsibility to work together as parliamentarians with provinces and territories and our community stakeholders to do what they can and what we can to respond to it.
What I would like to know is why the party opposite is continuing to oppose harm reduction. What would the member opposite say to the over 50,000 people whose overdoses have been responded to and reversed? They would otherwise be dead.
Does this party realize that the more than four million visits to safe consumption sites across this country represent four million contacts with a health care provider?
On this side, we want to save lives, not overly stigmatize addiction.
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- Oct/18/23 7:38:38 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will say this again. We are all entitled to our own opinions but not our own facts. This is not a Liberal-NDP approach to solving the addictions epidemic by helping people who are suffering from addiction. It is an evidence-based response. It is one that is internationally recognized by all stakeholders.
I would encourage the member to perhaps schedule a meeting with Moms Stop the Harm or any of the many organizations that are advocating for more support for people living with addictions. Indeed, we must stand for the four pillars, all four, as I said, not against them, not choosing one or the other and not cherry-picking which ones we like best. All four pillars of addictions response are important, and not cherry-picking them is of the utmost importance.
We continue to be committed to ensuring that individuals and organizations who are legally marketing or supplying drugs are held accountable, while also supporting pathways to care for people who are experiencing or are at risk of harm from substance use. The people who use substances, their families and the communities around them need us. We must use every single tool at our disposal to provide compassionate care and maintain community safety.
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- Oct/18/23 7:44:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I sincerely look forward to the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands' return to the House. I hope that my friend is doing well. I hope that she is recovering and feeling good. I look forward to having this discussion, hopefully, in person when she returns to the House of Commons.
I would like to focus the first half of my answer on the greenbelt. It is a moment to celebrate. It is a moment to rejoice. Indeed, victory on the greenbelt is a big win for Ontario. There are lots of groups that we have to thank for this.
I have the opportunity now to do something that I have never done before, which is to read directly from my householder that is going out to my constituents in Milton. The question resembled a question that I asked myself and my constituents were asking me, so I answered it in a monthly community newsletter. It is titled, “Victory on the Greenbelt: A big win for Ontario”, and it states:
Back in March, Canada's Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, [the member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie] announced that our government would be investigating the real and potential environmental, economic, social and health impacts related to developing parts of the Greenbelt. Due to the Premier’s recent cancelling of his provincial government’s plan to develop parcels of the Greenbelt – we subsequently announced that we are suspending the urban park study indefinitely as it’s no longer necessary. This is great news. This reversal reflects the collective efforts of citizen advocates, independent journalism, researchers, environmentalists, conservation authorities, and municipalities who tirelessly voiced their objections. Their commitment has reaffirmed the significance of maintaining the Greenbelt’s integrity – this is a big win for our province, and I want to express my personal gratitude to these stakeholders and everyone who used their voice to safeguard this most vital natural resource.
I would add the leader of the Green Party, the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands, to that list.
The plan to develop luxury homes and create brand new neighborhoods in Ontario’s hinterland, as proposed by Premier Ford’s government, was never a sustainable approach for addressing our housing affordability concerns. The federal government will remain steadfast in our mission to protect the natural environment, including Ontario’s Greenbelt, toward a greener, more sustainable future for all Canadians. I will continue to call for responsible urban planning, sustainable development, and the preservation of green spaces to ensure the well-being of current and future generations, and I look forward to more details of how Premier Ford will strengthen the protections of all Greenbelt and ecologically vulnerable land in our region.
I would like now to turn to our work on water. I was very pleased that in budget 2023, we saw a historic $650 million go toward the maintenance and restoration of much of our Great Lakes. That is so important, not just because I love the Great Lakes and I spent a lot of time paddling on the Great Lakes, but it is important because Canada is really the water keeper of the world, particularly with respect to fresh water. These 24 new projects that we just announced on September 28 will restore water quality and ecosystem health in areas of concern. They will prevent toxic and nuisance algae. They will engage with indigenous peoples in Great Lakes restoration and protection.
That $650 million over 10 years that I referenced includes an investment of $420 million for the Great Lakes, which was announced by the Prime Minister, with a focus on accelerating Canada's implementation of the Canada-United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. It also includes $22.6 million over three years starting this year to support better coordination efforts to protect fresh water right across Canada.
Last, but certainly not least, is the new Canada water agency. It is the federal focal point for all fresh water. We will be working in partnership with indigenous peoples, provinces, territories and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration efforts on fresh water. It will deliver on key elements of the strengthened freshwater action plan.
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- Oct/18/23 7:48:42 p.m.
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Again, Madam Speaker, I look forward to discussing this in person upon the return of my hon. colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands.
Indeed, the federal government is making Canada's largest-ever investment in protecting the nation's sources of all fresh water, which includes the Great Lakes. Commitments recently announced by the government during U.S. President Biden's visit includes some of the over $650-million investments, but it brings us very close to the $1-billion commitment that we have aimed to achieve. There are other efforts that we can include in that long list of things that we are going to invest in.
I would add to the remarks I made earlier with respect to all of the investments that we have made over the past couple of years that I am enthusiastic about any further efforts to conserve and protect Canada's greatest natural resource. I know that work with the Canada water agency is under way. Indeed, the Prime Minister named the first-ever parliamentary secretary for water.
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