Ottawa, ON – Dr. Stephen Ellis, Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, Laila Goodridge, Conservative Shadow Minister for Addictions, Shuvaloy Majumdar, Member of Parliament for Calgary Heritage, and Robert Kitchen, Member of Parliament for Souris-Moose Mountain released the following statement:  

“At today’s meeting of the Health Committee Liberal Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks, refused to commit to ending Trudeau’s dangerous and failed experiment of the decriminalization of hard drugs in British Columbia, despite having the power to do so. She also doubled down on the NDP-Liberal government’s devastating policies that provide free taxpayer-funded drugs and have ruined the lives of countless Canadians, devastating numerous communities. Most shockingly, she doubled down on the prescription of fentanyl to children under the age of 18.

“Eight years of radical policies from the NDP-Liberal government have only worsened Canada’s opioid crisis. More than 40,000 Canadians have died from overdoses since Justin Trudeau was elected, and 22 died each day in the first six months of 2023. Flooding the streets with dangerous opioids has done absolutely nothing to reduce overdose deaths. This insanity must end now.

“Canadians, especially our most vulnerable, deserve better than what they are getting from the Trudeau Government which has shown time again that it is disconnected from reality and lacking in common sense. The millions of Canadians struggling with addiction deserve a chance at life, rather than a managed death. 

“Common sense Conservatives reject the deadly policies of the Trudeau-NDP coalition. We will emphasize treatment and recovery rather than taxpayer-funded drugs and we will bring our loved ones home drug free. Recovery from addiction is possible.”