Prime Minister addresses B.C. overdose crisis

Justin Trudeau said the federal government is aggressively moving forward in ensuring a safe drug supply in the province.

The Prime Minister made his comments on CBC Radio on Wednesday. The opioid overdose crisis has claimed the lives of 909 B.C. residents so far in 2020, more than the total combined deaths by homicides, motor vehicle collisions, suicides and COVID-19.

PREVIOUS: BC Coroners Service reports 175 suspected overdose deaths in July (Aug. 25, 2020)

Trudeau said the government is working with Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s Public Health Officer and Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. He said rather than looking at the crisis through the lens of justice they are looking at it from a health perspective.

Trudeau said the Liberals are focused on a safe supply and not decriminalizing small amounts of street drugs as Dr. Henry had suggested.

Bradley Jones
Bradley Jones
Delivering local news and sports in the East Kootenay since April 2016, Bradley now calls Cranbrook home. Born and raised in Airdrie, AB, Bradley graduated from Lethbridge College, and has been a journalist, news anchor and reporter since 2014. Bradley took on local News Director responsibilities when he moved to Cranbrook in 2016. He is now Vista Radio's Kootenay News Director, managing and overseeing all news operations at the company's five regional radio stations in Cranbrook, Creston, Nelson, Castlegar, and Grand Forks.

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