Safety Concerns Prompt Canadian Government to Amend Drug Decriminalization Project
Episode Stats
Words per Minute
144.82474
Summary
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
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We believe in working with British Columbia and with any province that wants us to work with them on this,
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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.
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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
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or meth in the faces of nurses in hospital rooms.
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He refused to answer, which begs the question of whether or not he will try to impose the same radical and extremist policy elsewhere.
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So, once again, does he believe that people should be allowed to smoke meth or crack in children's soccer fields?
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Mr. Speaker, obviously no one in this House does.
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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
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It's the same reason he's said that he will suspend people's fundamental rights and freedoms to score cheap political points.
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That is not something that Canadians want to see, Mr. Speaker.
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,
00:02:18.300
The City of Toronto submitted a 153-page application, and I quote,
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seeking an exemption under Section 56.1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
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that would decriminalize personal possession of illicit substances within Toronto's boundaries.
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The Prime Minister's government has been working secretly with Toronto on that plan ever since.
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Will he, yes or no, rule out decriminalization in Canada's biggest city?
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Mr. Speaker, once again, we see the Leader of the Opposition trying to score cheap political points
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on the backs of vulnerable people to promote an ideology that does not work.
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Mr. Speaker, we will continue to be there with a thoughtful, compassionate-based public health approach
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on the toxic drug supply, and that means working with jurisdictions.
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When Vancouver asked us for an exemption, we said no.
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We would only work with the province, and that's what we did to work with BC.
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The same thing when it comes to Ontario or Quebec.
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We will only work with the provinces to ensure any projects they have go.
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So, he refuses to rule out repeating this disastrous experiment that killed 2,500 British Columbians.
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Because he strongly supports decriminalization, and if he got a chance,
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he would do it all over again in Toronto, in Montreal, and anywhere else.
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Mr. Speaker, the final question, therefore, is, even the radical NDP government in BC
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asked for him to reverse his decriminalization.
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Why did it take him 10 days and 66 more deaths to do it?
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Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see the extent to which the Leader of the Opposition
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will make political attacks on the backs of the most vulnerable people in this country.
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We actually only received the completed request from British Columbia Friday last week
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and approved it the following Monday, three days later, Mr. Speaker.
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We will always respond quickly in a science-based way when people's lives are on the line.
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The Leader of the Opposition is continuing to spread falsehoods, Mr. Speaker,
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instead of actually following the facts and caring for Canadians.