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
'Happy tears' of victim's sister after prison attack on serial killer Robert Pickton
Cynthia Cardinal said she was 'overwhelmed' with happiness when she received a text message on Monday with the news that serial killer Robert Pickton, who murdered her sister, was attacked in prison. She called it 'karma.'
DEVELOPING Republican National Committee in Washington evacuated after blood vials received in package
The headquarters of the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C., was briefly evacuated on Wednesday morning after a suspicious package containing two vials of blood was delivered to the building, the police said.
Fish oil supplements may raise risk of stroke, heart issues, study suggests
As an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, daily fish oil supplements are a popular way to keep the risk of cardiovascular disease at bay.
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Interpol says more than 1,500 stolen Canadian vehicles identified since February
Interpol says more than 200 stolen Canadian vehicles have been found each week across the globe since February.
Thunderstorms with tornado risk in some areas in Ontario, snow elsewhere in Canada
Canadians can expect a mixed bag of weather, with forecasts warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and snow in some areas across western Canada.
opinion Biden steals debate issue from Trump campaign, makes it his own
Donald Trump had spent weeks needling U.S. President Joe Biden for his refusal to commit to a debate. But Washington political columnist Eric Ham describes how in one fell swoop, Biden ingeniously stole the issue from the Trump campaign and made it his own.
'All hell broke loose': Passengers on Singapore Airlines flight describe nightmare at 37,000 feet
Passengers on a Singapore Airlines flight hit by severe turbulence on Tuesday described a sudden, dramatic drop as 'all hell broke loose' on board the Boeing airliner carrying 229 passengers and crew.
3 people dead after stabbing in Plateau-Mont-Royal: Montreal police
Three people are dead after they were stabbed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough Tuesday evening, police say.