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Minister of Indigenous Services Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

Hon. Patty Hajdu

  • Member of Parliament
  • Minister of Indigenous Services Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
  • Liberal
  • Thunder Bay—Superior North
  • Ontario
  • Voting Attendance: 66%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $142,376.94

  • Government Page
Context: House Hansard - 312 - May/9/24
Hon. Patty Hajdu
  • May/9/24 3:23:33 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I was really disappointed with the use of the word “addicts” to describe people who are struggling with substance use. In her question to the House, the member for Peterborough—Kawartha used this pejorative term again, as her leader has many times, to undermine the value and worth of people who use substances. I would ask that she withdraw it and apologize to the House. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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Context: House Hansard - 312 - May/9/24
Hon. Patty Hajdu (Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, Lib.)
  • May/9/24 1:16:23 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we see the same kind of stigmatization with the language used by the member opposite. They talk about horror movies, which is invoking the fear of people who are really struggling in their circumstances, whom I feel such tremendous sadness for. I would ask the member about her premise, which is really to return to a failed war on substance users. It has been the approach. Indeed, it was the approach of the Stephen Harper government. It certainly has been the approach of many other Conservative governments. However, we have not actually seen an alleviation, even in countries that have even a more extreme war on substance users, with up to life imprisonment for those who are struggling and, in some sad cases, even death. Can the member tell me how this new proposal from the Conservatives would work when we have evidence from around the world that it poses a deep burden on families and substance users?
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Context: House Hansard - 312 - May/9/24
Hon. Patty Hajdu
  • May/9/24 12:01:30 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am extremely grateful to the law enforcement officers who work every single day with people who use substances. They are the hardest working members of a community, and we can all thank them. In fact, I had an opportunity to go on a ride-along with law enforcement members just a couple years ago, and it was at Christmastime. Out of the 14 calls for help, 12 of them were for substance use-related disorder issues, including for alcoholism. These people were in the darkest moments of their days. The law enforcement officers helped people and they connected them to mental health services. What they said repeatedly was that they needed a range of supports for people who were struggling in this way. It is heartbreaking work and people are doing it every day. I thank those enforcement officers.
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