In government,

we will declare a public health emergency

and commit to working with all levels of

government, experts and Canadians to end

the criminalization and stigma of drug

addiction, so that people struggling with

addiction can get the help they need without

fear of arrest, while getting tough on the real

criminals - those who traffic in and profit from

illegal drugs.

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Despite the obvious harm that these drugs

are causing and the shocking death toll that

they’ve caused, over the last four years the

Liberal government failed to mobilize an

effective response. They have not declared a

public health emergency, nor taken any steps

to investigate the role that drug companies

may have played in fuelling the crisis. The

federal government is lagging behind the

urgent action being taken by provinces like

British Columbia.

New Democrats believe that there is much

more we can do to save lives and support

those struggling with opioids. In government,

we will declare a public health emergency

and commit to working with all levels of

government, experts and Canadians to end

the criminalization and stigma of drug

addiction, so that people struggling with

addiction can get the help they need without

fear of arrest, while getting tough on the real

criminals - those who traffic in and profit from

illegal drugs. We’ll work with the provinces to

support overdose prevention sites and expand

access to treatment on demand for people

struggling with addiction. We will also launch

an investigation into the role drug companies

may have played in fueling the opioid crisis, and

seek meaningful financial compensation from

them for the public costs of this crisis.

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To help more people access the addiction treatment services they need, we will move forward with new investments that help provinces and territories expand community-based services, build more in-patient rehab beds, and scale up the most effective programs – such as extending hours for InSite and other safe consumption sites.

We will also make drug treatment court the default option for first-time non-violent offenders charged exclusively with simple possession, to help drug users get quick access to treatment, and to prevent more serious crimes.

From Forward, retrieved 2019-09-30.

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Address the opioid crisis as a health-care issue, not a criminal issue, by declaring a national health emergency. Recognize that fentanyl contamination is why deaths are more accurately described as poisonings than overdoses. Drug possession should be decriminalized, ensuring people have access to a screened supply and the medical support they need to combat their addictions. Increase funding to community-based organizations to test drugs and make Naloxone kits widely available to treat overdoses.

From Election Platform 2019, retrieved 2019-09-22.

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