Western Standard - May 07, 2024


Safety Concerns Prompt Canadian Government to Amend Drug Decriminalization Project


Episode Stats


Length

4 minutes

Words per minute

144.82474

Word count

701

Sentence count

48


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

Learn English with Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers questions from the House of Commons on the legalization of marijuana and decriminalization of cannabis, and why he refuses to rule out decriminalizing drugs in Canada's biggest cities.

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
00:00:00.000 We believe in working with British Columbia and with any province that wants us to work with them on this,
00:00:05.760 which is why we accepted their request to modify their pilot project on exactly those issues.
00:00:13.580 This is something we will continue to do, to work in a basis of science around compassion and a medical approach,
00:00:21.880 a health approach, not a criminal justice approach, to dealing with the toxic drug supply and addictions.
00:00:28.880 At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we won't be taking lessons from the Conservatives
00:00:32.620 that continue to chase after a Harper-era policy that their own advisors said was obsolete.
00:00:40.480 The Honourable Leader of the Opposition.
00:00:43.520 It's an important question, Mr. Speaker, because we need to know what he's going to do next.
00:00:50.040 I just gave him a chance to indicate whether he believes people should be allowed to smoke crack in children's soccer fields
00:00:57.320 or meth in the faces of nurses in hospital rooms.
00:01:01.780 He refused to answer, which begs the question of whether or not he will try to impose the same radical and extremist policy elsewhere.
00:01:12.600 So, once again, does he believe that people should be allowed to smoke meth or crack in children's soccer fields?
00:01:19.480 Mr. Speaker, obviously no one in this House does.
00:01:26.860 That is why we agreed with the British Columbia Government to modify their pilot project to better suit their concerns.
00:01:35.040 At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we've seen the extent to which the Leader of the Opposition
00:01:39.480 will continue to try and use tragedies and ongoing challenges Canadians and vulnerable people are facing
00:01:46.040 to try and score political points.
00:01:49.120 It's the same reason he's said that he will suspend people's fundamental rights and freedoms to score cheap political points.
00:01:56.920 That is not something that Canadians want to see, Mr. Speaker.
00:02:00.500 You're here.
00:02:02.680 Then I have safety in Opposition.
00:02:04.680 Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister legalized the use of hard drugs like meth, crack and heroin in children's parks and in hospitals,
00:02:13.840 and he won't rule out doing it again.
00:02:15.520 This is not an academic question.
00:02:18.300 The City of Toronto submitted a 153-page application, and I quote,
00:02:22.580 seeking an exemption under Section 56.1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
00:02:27.140 that would decriminalize personal possession of illicit substances within Toronto's boundaries.
00:02:32.880 The Prime Minister's government has been working secretly with Toronto on that plan ever since.
00:02:38.540 Will he, yes or no, rule out decriminalization in Canada's biggest city?
00:02:45.880 The Right Honourable Prime Minister.
00:02:48.240 Mr. Speaker, once again, we see the Leader of the Opposition trying to score cheap political points
00:02:53.520 on the backs of vulnerable people to promote an ideology that does not work.
00:02:59.080 Mr. Speaker, we will continue to be there with a thoughtful, compassionate-based public health approach
00:03:06.660 on the toxic drug supply, and that means working with jurisdictions.
00:03:11.040 When Vancouver asked us for an exemption, we said no.
00:03:14.600 We would only work with the province, and that's what we did to work with BC.
00:03:18.000 The same thing when it comes to Ontario or Quebec.
00:03:21.280 We will only work with the provinces to ensure any projects they have go.
00:03:26.000 The Honourable Leader of the Opposition.
00:03:28.720 So, he refuses to rule out repeating this disastrous experiment that killed 2,500 British Columbians.
00:03:43.100 Because he strongly supports decriminalization, and if he got a chance,
00:03:48.740 he would do it all over again in Toronto, in Montreal, and anywhere else.
00:03:54.880 Mr. Speaker, the final question, therefore, is, even the radical NDP government in BC
00:04:00.620 asked for him to reverse his decriminalization.
00:04:04.160 Why did it take him 10 days and 66 more deaths to do it?
00:04:10.140 The Right Honourable Prime Minister.
00:04:12.340 Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see the extent to which the Leader of the Opposition
00:04:16.300 will make political attacks on the backs of the most vulnerable people in this country.
00:04:22.840 We actually only received the completed request from British Columbia Friday last week
00:04:29.740 and approved it the following Monday, three days later, Mr. Speaker.
00:04:35.620 We will always respond quickly in a science-based way when people's lives are on the line.
00:04:41.660 The Leader of the Opposition is continuing to spread falsehoods, Mr. Speaker,
00:04:45.880 instead of actually following the facts and caring for Canadians.
00:04:49.560 Here, here, here.