Pierre Poilievre weighs in on BC NDP plan to recriminalize public drug use
B.C.’s plan to reverse course on a major part of its decriminalization plan has triggered swift and sweeping reaction.
Last Friday, Premier David Eby announced the NDP requested that Ottawa recriminalize public use of hard drugs, giving police powers to seize drugs or arrest those threatening public safety.
It was a response to increasing concerns about illicit drug use in public, including in hospitals, which triggered escalating political pressure and a heated debate that continued to play out on the floor of the B.C. Legislature on Monday.
“Will the premier scrap this entire decriminalization mess today? And if not, why not?” demanded BC United leader Kevin Falcon during question period.
Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the proposed plan doesn’t go far enough and pushed for an emergency debate on the issue of decriminalization in Parliament.
“Even nurses are having to give up on breastfeeding because they’re worried their kids will be contaminated with drugs they breathe in. What the hell they thinking over there?” said Poilievre.
Eby responded Monday to Poilievre’s comments.
“To the extent that we can avoid politicizing this health crisis, the better off we're going to be. We're all looking for solutions to keep people alive,” he said.
Eby did acknowledge other jurisdictions, like Toronto, that are considering decriminalization could learn from B.C.'s stumbles, and should consider the importance of balancing public concern about public drug use with managing addiction as a health issue.
“Balancing those two things is core and I hope other jurisdictions take our lessons and don’t repeat our mistakes,” he said.
For harm reduction advocates, like Moms Stop the Harm’s Leslie McBain, the province's push to eliminate public drug use is a major step back that will cost lives.
“They will be hiding out and more deaths will happen. It's quite distressing for a lot of reasons,” she said.
The province says it expects to hear back from Ottawa about recriminalizing public drug use soon.
More than 14,000 people have died since B.C. declared a public health emergency over the toxic drug supply in 2016.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Scottie Scheffler isn't the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament
Scottie Scheffler's arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn't the first, though.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Canadian convicted of attacking Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer sentenced to 30 years
The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.
World No. 1 golfer charged with police officer assault before PGA Championship second round
World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested and charged with the assault of a police officer in what he called a 'chaotic situation' before being released in time to start his second round at the PGA Championship on Friday.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
B.C. optometrist warns against trending eye colour change procedure
A medical procedure that can permanently change a person's eye colour may be trending on social media, but a B.C. optometrist is warning about the significant risks associated.
An airplane passenger was spotted in an overhead bin. This was the reaction
Airplane overhead compartments. Home to luggage of all shapes and sizes, the odd coat or two, several duty-free bags, a fair bit of dust and… passengers?