By Canadian Press

Parliament votes down Conservative motion against safe supply of drugs

May 29, 2023 | 2:24 PM

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has failed to persuade the House of Commons to condemn the Liberal government’s approach to fighting drug addiction.

In a vote of 209 to 113 today, MPs defeated a motion presented by Poilievre.

It took aim at the federal government’s harm reduction policies, but focused mainly on its decision to fund the supply of pharmaceutical alternatives as a replacement for certain illicit drugs.  

The government has pointed to experts who say that a poisoned drug supply is one of the main reasons so many Canadians are dying from unintentional overdoses, and that providing access to other drugs as a substitute saves lives. 

Poilievre has criticized that approach as fuelling addiction instead of offering treatment and argues it has led to wider access to dangerous drugs by users.

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Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett has told MPs that his criticisms are not based on evidence, with her office adding in a statement today that Health Canada is not aware of substitute drugs “flooding the streets.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023. 

The Canadian Press