Gord Johns
Courtenay—Alberni, British Columbia · NDP · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, we recall that the United Nations special rapporteur warned that Canada's temporary foreign worker program can create conditions resembling modern-day slavery. Last month, the San Group, a company operating in Port Alberni, was fined $429,000 and banned for two years for serious violations involving migrant workers.”
“Mr. Speaker, as I highlighted earlier, a Port Alberni company was fined $429,000 for its violation in its treatment of migrant workers, and it was given a two-year ban. Clearly, two years is not enough. The company operates other companies, and the rumour is that it actually has temporary foreign workers working for them as well.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to bring us back to a part of the conversation in which my colleague talked about the government's removing regulations on dangerous pesticides. Just last week, the Prime Minister announced his food security strategy, and the Liberals are removing important regulations that protect Canadians regarding pesticides.”
“Temporary foreign workers are often hired without the labour market opinion having been done in the right way. Workers who are looking for work are not getting hired. We hear in my riding about abuses of workers by employers, but there is no follow-up. There is nothing. When workers are in trouble, they are not supported.”
“I would like to hear from my colleague about whether, when food security and food sovereignty matter more than ever, my colleague sees the importance of the government's pausing its changes on these regulations, pausing these cuts and actually working with farmers to protect Canada's public agricultural research system?”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all my colleagues for allowing that to happen. Today is Brain Injury Awareness Day. It is an honour to table this petition on behalf of the families impacted by 165,000 new cases annually of brain injury in our country.”
The complete record
Every one of 557 lines we hold for Gord Johns, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 12.
“Without urgent action, the massive emissions wildfires produce will trap us in a devastating cycle of environmental and economic degradation. In August, the Prime Minister announced $1.2 billion in new funding to support the forestry sector, which is far less than for the other sectors. Worse, that money has not gone out to producers. They have not been able to access the promised relief, and they are still waiting for that money to come through. Further to that, only $50 million of that money, 4%, is earmarked for worker supports. I have said it before in the House, and I will say it again: That is not a plan; that is an insult. What is worse is that many owner-operators and contractors remain excluded from those worker supports, despite how crucial the softwood lumber industry is to our economy.”
“It supports billions of dollars in economic activity while comprising only one part of an all-out, necessary, hands-on-deck approach to reducing the prevalence and spread of wildfires. With respect to this take-note debate, as we know, it is critical timing, because the softwood lumber industry is in crisis. Since 2017, tariffs have drained nearly $10 million from Canada's forestry sector, and the B.C. softwood lumber industry is facing tariffs of up to 45%. Trump's tariffs on softwood lumber are higher than those currently in place on Vladimir Putin's Russia. It is not just tariffs; softwood lumber is also on the front lines of the climate crisis. Wildfire damage has cost Canadians over $1 billion annually, and this figure will only increase over time.”
“As my colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands said, it is an opportunity also for us to start maximizing the use of our fibre. As we tackle the housing crisis, we can use mass timber and modular construction supported by Canadian softwood lumber, which also can help cut build times in half for affordable housing and reduce emissions associated with homebuilding by up to 60%, but we need to treat this like an emergency, as we did during the COVID pandemic. The government is not moving at that pace. In addition, obviously we need to retool, but supporting biomass utilization and including it as a source of clean energy also makes both economic and environmental sense.”
“We have to do everything we can to ensure that it does not happen in communities like Port Alberni and the community where my colleague lives, and we need to work collectively. Today I am honoured to bring the voices of workers, of people in the forestry sector, communities and first nations in the riding of Courtenay—Alberni, who are here lobbying for the federal government to take this issue seriously. We know the softwood lumber industry is a $23.3-billion industry that generates around 200,000 direct jobs, but it also is responsible for 182,000 indirect jobs for Canadian workers and supports livelihoods in over 300 communities across this country. We need to take an “all hands on deck” approach. We need to rethink how we are looking at the forestry sector.”
“Mr. Chair, before I get started, I just want to respond to a comment by my colleague from New Brunswick, who talked about the impact on forestry workers and communities. He talked about his family connection to the forestry sector. I also have a family connection. My great-grandfather and my great-grandmother lived in Ocean Falls, where my great-grandfather was a papermaker. My grandmother and my late grandfather also were there, and my mom was there. When Ocean Falls went from a thriving community of 3,500 people to the 70 people it is today, as it collapsed, we saw intergenerational families disperse, and we saw the impact that had, not just on community but on families, and the cost of that.”
“Mr. Chair, in my home province of British Columbia, we are asking the government to treat forestry like the other sectors, such as the auto sector and the steel and aluminum sector, when it comes to relief, but right now that is not happening. There is a $1.2-billion bailout that is as slow as molasses rolling out the door. There is $50 million allotted for workers, and there are 200,000 workers in this sector. I would like to hear from my colleague how the Quebeckers who rely on forestry jobs and the communities that rely on forestry feel the forestry sector is being treated compared to the other sectors that are being hit and hammered by Donald Trump's tariffs.”
“Mr. Chair, right now Donald Trump is actually claiming that Canadian forest products are a national security threat to the United States. It is absolutely absurd. In fact, British Columbia and Canada are now facing higher softwood lumber tariffs at 45% than Putin's Russia. Clearly, we need a more comprehensive, high-level negotiating framework, similar to what the European Union achieved. Would my colleague not agree that we need this leverage to resolve the softwood lumber and other long-standing issues? Why is the government not pursuing this approach?”
“Mr. Chair, in 2017, when Donald Trump was in his first administration, he took aim at Canada when it came to steel tariffs. What did we do? We created a team Canada approach. We flooded Washington, across party lines. Our regional caucuses in the Pacific Northwest Economic Region were down in Spokane. We were working together. Right now, that is not happening. We are not seeing the government work across political lines to bring in a team Canada approach. Has the member been approached and asked to go to Washington or down to the United States to start working on this for Canada?”
“Mr. Chair, my colleague and I share mills on Vancouver Island that actually are integrated in their supply, whether in Crofton or Port Alberni. This is really important. The Prime Minister is going down to Washington and talking about the auto industry, steel and aluminum. I am not saying these are not important, but we never hear about the Prime Minister's talking about forestry and the softwood lumber agreement. Does my colleague agree with me regarding what kind of message that sends to forestry workers on Vancouver Island and throughout British Columbia and Canada?”
“Mr. Chair, we saw during COVID that we can move quickly. The government announced $1.2 billion in relief, but that is not getting to the companies in real time. We are hearing that there is a huge disconnect when it comes to the banks and the liquidity that is needed right now. Will the parliamentary secretary and will the government act in the same urgency as we did with COVID in getting relief out the door? Time matters right now. Every day that goes by, we see more and more mills close and more and more jobs lost.”
“Mr. Chair, first I want to thank the parliamentary secretary for talking about working together for the establishment of a biomass tax credit, which will support the paper mills in Port Alberni and Crofton on Vancouver Island. However, we need more of that collaboration. Steel, aluminum and energy all have working tables to mandate fast-tracking solutions when it comes to duties. What we need is for the federal government to create a federal industry national softwood working table with a mandate to fast-track solutions on duties, liquidity and Canada's negotiating posture so we finally secure a fair and durable softwood lumber agreement. Will the parliamentary secretary commit to doing that today and work in that collaborative spirit?”
“Mr. Speaker, in British Columbia right now, all the salmon restoration enhancement programs are set to sunset in March. The fisheries are waiting to hear about renewal of funding. They cannot wait for the spring economic statement. Will my colleague ensure that the government gets to the table and announces to British Columbians what the plan is when it comes to the restoration and protection of wild Pacific salmon?”
“Mr. Speaker, as my colleague knows, there are 1.6 million Canadians living with a brain injury in this country. In the last Parliament, Bill C-277 was passed unanimously to report stage. It was not in the budget to support a national brain injury strategy. Will she—”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There has to be some decorum in the House, please. The insults are not acceptable. Canadians are counting on us to have good debate about important issues. I think the member's comment is out of line. I have a deep respect for both members. I want to highlight that.”
“The petitioners call on the Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to use their mandate to enforce section 36 of the Fisheries Act in order to help stop the pollution in Baynes Sound from unregulated ship recycling. They call on the government to develop enforceable federal standards to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of unregulated ship recycling that meet or exceed those set out in the Hong Kong and European Union conventions for the safe recycling of ships.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to table e-petition 6675, signed by petitioners primarily from Union Bay, British Columbia. They highlight that the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy conducted a study in Baynes Sound. They found discharges of effluent with toxins, of both acute and chronic concentration, exceeding the provincial water guidelines. The petitioners highlight that copper, lead and zinc all surpassed the chronic levels set out by the guidelines, with copper at 23,950% above, lead at 1,200% above and zinc at 7,320% above chronic levels. A pollution abatement order was issued in January 2024.”
“Ottawa should follow that example, uphold its commitments and meet directly with British Columbia and coastal first nations rather than trying to negotiate exceptions behind closed doors.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals might try to dismiss these concerns, but the facts are clear: Coastal first nations have repeatedly warned that any move to weaken the oil tanker moratorium puts communities, ecosystems and sustainable local economies at risk. If the government is engaging in closed-door talks about crude oil tanker traffic through the Great Bear Rainforest and Great Bear Sea without British Columbia or affected first nations at the table, it is a failure of transparency and reconciliation. This is not about partisanship; it is about safety, respect and responsible governance. The teachers in Bella Coola and the Heiltsuk guardians show what true leadership looks like: protecting people and the environment before disaster strikes.”
“Canada cannot afford to be left behind by clinging to 20th century infrastructure. A new crude pipeline today is not a path to prosperity; it is a costly detour from the opportunities emerging in the clean energy transition. Canada must do better. Coastal first nations continue to lead with clarity, courage and unwavering commitment to their territories and to the well-being of all Canadians. Instead of excluding indigenous governments, sidelining British Columbia and pursuing backroom deals with oil patch lobbyists, the Prime Minister must meet directly with first nations in a spirit of true partnership and transparency. They have been clear: a moratorium with exceptions is no moratorium at all, and the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea is not a sacrifice zone.”
“Rather than undermining it, Canada must uphold free, prior and informed consent, and stand with coastal first nations who are unequivocally defending this irreplaceable place. The economic impacts are equally significant. Coastal first nations have built a multi-billion dollar conservation-based economy that supports cultural tourism, sustainable fisheries, habitat restoration, renewable energy projects and long-term local employment. This is an economic model rooted in stewardship, not extraction. A crude oil tanker route threatens those existing sustainable jobs. Canada should strengthen this proven economic foundation, not destabilize it through closed negotiations driven by outside pressure. After long-term consequences cannot be ignored, the global shift to renewable energy is accelerating.”
“If accurate, it means the government is attempting to alter protections for the coast without including the people most affected. If so, the government is creating unnecessary and irresponsible risk. British Columbia has been clear that it does not support weakening the safeguards coastal communities rely on today. The Prime Minister has said that he would not use Bill C-5 to override a provincial government, and those words must be honoured, not quietly set aside under a cloak of secrecy accompanied by media leaks. The Great Bear Rainforest is no place for crude oil pipelines or tankers. It is Canada's last stronghold of wild Pacific salmon, home to ancient temperate rainforests found almost nowhere else and surrounded by some of the most productive marine waters on the planet.”
“Their dedication reflects a level of responsibility and vigilance the Liberal government should aspire to meet. Once again, the first nations on the west coast are demonstrating extraordinary leadership in safeguarding their lands, waters, economies and future generations. I urge the Liberal government to learn from their example and listen to it. Today media reports suggest closed-door discussions about granting exceptions to the oil tanker moratorium and advancing a crude oil pipeline and tanker corridor through the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea are under way. According to the news, the federal government has gone directly to Alberta and Saskatchewan without speaking to British Columbia or the coastal first nations who have cared for these lands and waters since time immemorial.”
“Mr. Speaker, first, I want to begin tonight by honouring the courageous teachers and students from the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola who put themselves directly in harm's way to protect school children during a terrifying grizzly bear attack. This act of heroism reminds us of the strength and resilience of coastal communities. Our hearts are with the Nuxalk Nation and the people of Bella Coola at this difficult time. I also offer deep gratitude to the Heiltsuk coastal guardians, who were first on the scene when a loaded commercial barge began taking on water off B.C.'s central coast, and who continued working relentlessly to prevent an environmental and economic catastrophe. This barge is loaded with containers that represent huge commercial value, and the efforts are saving businesses millions of dollars.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about the new youth climate corps, and I am really happy to see the government do that, but the intention when the NDP advocated for the creation of the youth climate corps was not for young people to clean up catastrophic oil spills on the coast of British Columbia. When Bill C-5 was brought forward, the government made a commitment. The Prime Minister said he would consult with first nations and the premiers of every province before deciding to move forward with proposed economic developments such as pipelines. As of right now, the Province of B.C. has not been consulted, while there are backdoor conversations happening with Premier Danielle Smith, and neither have coastal first nations. Are the Liberals trying to out-compete the Conservatives when it comes to pipelines?”
“Would my colleague think it appropriate if this were to happen in his home province, that there was a proposal such as for a pipeline, but neither his premier nor the first nations in his home riding were consulted?”
“Mr. Speaker, we just heard at COP30 that Canada got awarded the fossil award. Here we have, right now, Liberals who are competing with Conservatives on who can out-pipeline the other. An hon. member: Oh, oh! Gord Johns: The Conservatives are saying they won. Mr. Speaker, they want to keep the fossil award, year after year. I do not doubt that they are going to get it, the way things are going. There is a proposal that is going to be talked about later in the week. The Prime Minister is meeting in private with Danielle Smith, the Premier of Alberta. He is not consulting with the Province of British Columbia, nor is he consulting with first nations, about lifting the tanker ban that has been in place for over 50 years.”
“The petitioners therefore call upon the Government of Canada to develop a national strategy on brain injuries to improve awareness and prevention, as well as to ensure better access for treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support for Canadians living with the impacts of brain injury. It is an honour to table this petition. It is timely, as brain injury advocates are in Ottawa right now to call on the government to take action.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today to rise to table a petition on behalf of petitioners from Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay, Cumberland and Port Alberni in my riding. They are calling for urgent federal leadership regarding brain injury awareness, prevention and treatment. The petitioners note that brain injuries can occur in many ways, from accidents to illnesses and strokes, and that they often result in serious physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural effects. Petitioners further point out that brain injuries are frequently linked with other challenges, including substance use and homelessness, creating additional barriers for people affected. It is estimated that 1.6 million Canadians are living with a brain injury today, yet there is no coordinated national response.”
“Mr. Speaker, first I want to congratulate my colleague on his newborn baby. That is such a blessing. In 2010 the Conservatives temporarily scrapped the 25% ferry import tariff, sending Canadian shipbuilding jobs to heavily subsidized foreign yards. The finance minister at the time said that the tariffs did not serve any purpose because the ships to which they applied could not be built in Canada. The tariff generated $118 million over six years, and the Liberals permanently scrapped it. That money could have been building capacity in Canadian shipyards. Does my colleague agree that we need to bring back that tariff and create a deterrent, reinvest in Canadian shipbuilding capacity here in this country, keep jobs in this country and build ferries here?”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for my colleague. We know that friendship centres are lifelines for indigenous people in urban communities, providing food, housing, safety, culture and belonging. The pressure on them is beyond the breaking point. Their core funding runs out in March, and this budget does not talk about sunset programs like funding for friendship centres. Will my colleague do everything possible for the federal government to get to the table and renew funding for friendship centres because of the critical role they play for indigenous peoples?”
“The petitioners therefore call on the Government of Canada to reject militarized aid models; to restore access for UN agencies and NGOs, such as UNRWA and the World Food Programme; to permit safe entry for Canadian health care and humanitarian aid workers; and to ensure that all Canadian aid is delivered through internationally recognized, neutral and independent channels.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am rising today to table a petition from Canadians who are deeply concerned about the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Gaza. The petitioners note that according to common article 1 of the Geneva Conventions, Canada must respect international humanitarian law. They highlight that article 59 of the fourth Geneva Convention requires occupying powers to allow impartial humanitarian relief and that Canada's international assistance accountability act mandates that our aid uphold human rights and international legal standards. They state that Israel's current policies violate these obligations.”
“Will the government turn its words into action and support a properly funded, nation-wide mental health strategy for men and boys? I am hoping ministers will be able to answer that question today. It is something that is absolutely needed. There is a crisis.”
“Mr. Speaker, this month being Movember, I attended an event last evening on the topic of men's mental health, which included having the opportunity to chat with Michelle Terry, Movember's global CEO, about the importance of investing in the unique health challenges facing men and boys. This is something the health minister specifically referenced in her own remarks at the event last night. Two in five Canadian men will die prematurely, before the age of 75. Death by suicide is the second-leading cause of death for men aged 15 to 44 in this country. Seventy-two per cent of Canadians can think of a man or boy who has been impacted by stigma, health care delays and mental health struggles. Two in five men, like I said, will die prematurely, but 95% of Canadians agree that improving mens' mental health will benefit everyone, not just men.”
“As Canadians, we pride ourselves on taking care of each other, but right now too many people are being left to struggle on their own. It is time to change that. It is time to finally bring mental health into our universal public health care system. That is why I tabled the first private member's bill in the 45th Parliament, Bill C-201 . If that bill was passed, it would bring community-based mental health services into the Canada Health Act so that we would have parity, and all Canadians would access supports with a health card, not a credit card. My question for the minister and the parliamentary secretary is whether they will commit here and now to fixing the Canada Health Act to ensure that we have parity with mental and physical health and make sure that it is implemented in our universal public health care system.”
“Investing in mental health is nation building. It does help support the GDP. We are only spending about half what our peer countries do on mental health, when we look at the OECD average, and we are seeing the results of that underfunding. I go outside, and I can see the impact. Every family in this country is touched by someone struggling with mental health issues. Mental health funding is an investment in Canada's workforce, and while the youth mental health fund is an important investment, we need to ensure that all Canadians can access appropriate supports. The Canadian Institute for Health Information found in data published just last month that in 2024, 41% of Canadian adults and 36% of children who needed mental health care had needs that were only partially met or were completely unmet. That shows we have a long way to go.”
“Again, the Liberals made commitments in their 2025 election campaign that they would make the youth mental health fund permanent and earmark $150 million per year toward it, beginning this year and continuing through fiscal year 2028-29. They failed to do that. What happened to these great ideas between the recent federal election and the budget? Even if the government followed through on its campaign promises, these figures are woefully inadequate, and they fall far short of meeting the $200 billion in annual costs to the Canadian economy resulting from untreated mental health issues, as I stated earlier. If the government is actually serious about improving productivity in this country, we need to double investments in mental health and we need to support workers, especially when we look at nation building.”
“A new report released earlier this year by the Mental Health Commission of Canada estimates that the monetary cost associated with untreated mental health issues is actually more like $200 billion. That is an increase of $150 billion over 13 years. I asked the Minister of Health to acknowledge that it is time to invest in the mental health of Canadians as a nation-building project. The response I received during question period, and I am being quite generous here, was woefully disappointing. She said, “Mental health is top of mind for this new government”. We do not see that reality reflected in actual investment dollars in the past budget, apart from some funding for youth mental health that the NDP helped advocate for.”
“Mr. Speaker, as members are well aware, I am rising again, as I have on many occasions in the past, to raise the issue of mental health for Canadians and the government's failure to follow through on its commitments. I am flagging that again because mental health is health. Back on October 7, I asked the minister why the Liberals were abandoning their promise to make mental health a full and equal part of Canada's universal public health care system. At the time, I indicated this: “It is estimated [that] every dollar invested in mental health generates two dollars of long-term savings, while untreated mental health issues cost our economy more than $50 billion every year.” First of all, I need to correct the record right now. That figure of $50 billion was from 2012.”
“The thousands of petitioners are calling on the government to abandon this corporate paragraph and say no to proposed changes that would remove farmer's privilege for new varieties of fruit, ornamental and vegetable plants and hybrid varieties.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to rise on behalf of constituents of mine from Courtenay, Cumberland, Errington and Parksville who have all signed a petition. They cite that when the Plant Breeders' Rights Act was amended in 2015, farmers rang the bell that the age-old right to save seed on their own farms was being reframed as farmer's privilege, which could be taken away by regulation. They warned that future governments could side with foreign multinationals that want to force farmers to buy seed from them and pay royalties every year, and that the CFIA's proposed regulatory amendment would do just that, starting with fruit, vegetable, ornamental and hybrid varieties.”
“Mr. Speaker, as we know, it is Veterans' Week. This morning, I had a chance to meet with the Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada. The Liberals made a promise on page 12 of their election platform to Persian Gulf and Afghan veterans to award them proper recognition for their wartime service. In simple speak, what that means to veterans is battle honours. It has been a 35-year struggle to receive wartime service recognition and other health benefits. Why is there no mention of funding to make good on their promise in this budget? The government has a solemn obligation to those who served in Afghanistan, in the Persian Gulf and in other wars, and to fulfill a promise it made in the election campaign.”
“The petitioners therefore call on the Government of Canada to provide enhanced, stable and predictable funding; invest in the modernization of facilities; and fully recognize the critical role that friendship centres play in reconciliation and in supporting indigenous peoples across urban, rural and remote communities.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring forward a petition on behalf of Canadians who are calling for enhanced support for friendship centres. The petitioners highlight that friendship centres are vital community hubs that provide culturally appropriate services in health, education, housing, employment and youth programming. The petitioners note that governments have increasingly relied on these centres to respond to socio-economic conditions, climate emergencies and the toxic drug crisis, yet federal funding has not kept pace with inflation or the real cost of services since 2005.”
“Lastly, on the eve of Remembrance Day, as we honour those who have bravely served our country with courage and dignity, I encourage the government to honour them and their families, not only with words but also with action, by finally eliminating this punitive and sexist policy, which is a remaining blight on the country our veterans have sacrificed so much to protect. I want to thank former MP Rachel Blaney and former MP Irene Mathyssen for also tabling this bill in the past. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)”
“To that end, my bill would amend certain acts related to survivor pension benefits so that spouses of veterans, Canadian military, RCMP and federal civil servants who marry after the age of 60 are not punished for having found love later in life. I want to thank the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie for seconding this bill. I would highlight that it was a decade ago when former prime minister Justin Trudeau mandated his then minister to address this archaic clause. It is shameful that it remains within our statutes today.”
“Bill C-256. Introduction and first reading moved for leave to introduce Bill C-256, An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to survivor pension benefits . He said: Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to introduce this bill just ahead of Remembrance Day next week. The bill seeks to eliminate the gold digger clause that penalizes the spouses of veterans who married after the age of 60. As the law currently stands, these spouses are stripped of any survivor benefits. This archaic relic of the early 1990s is a sexist holdover of a bygone era. It was as sexist then as it is today. My hope is that we, as parliamentarians, and more broadly as a society, have evolved enough to agree that there is no excuse for continuing to accept the errors of the ways of the past by allowing outdated discriminatory policies to remain in place.”
“Mr. Speaker, friendship centres are lifelines for indigenous people in urban communities, providing food, housing, safety, culture and belonging. The urban indigenous population is growing rapidly, and friendship centres are already stretched past the breaking point. Their core funding runs out in March. Budget 2025 offered nothing. Without stable permanent funding, programs will be cut, and doors will close. This is not reconciliation; it is abandonment. When will the government commit to renewing the critical funding to support indigenous peoples with long-term, secure and stable funding?”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague and I may disagree on how we proceed to deal with the mental health and toxic drug crisis, but one thing we can agree on is that the Liberal government has failed to show any leadership. In the House yesterday, I raised the fact that over 52,000 Canadians have died of toxic overdoses. The response from the Liberal government was that it is a provincial and territorial responsibility. Basically, the Liberals are abandoning any leadership role. There are things we can agree on. Does my colleague agree with me that the federal government absolutely has a role and responsibility when it comes to the mental health and toxic drug crisis in this country?”
“Mr. Speaker, over 52,000 Canadians have died from poisoned drug supply. Canada has the third-highest per capita rate of any country in the world; only the United States and Puerto Rico have a higher death rate per capita, yet in this budget, there is zero mention of the toxic drug crisis and an action plan to deal with it. The government has created a drug strategy that says that it is going to take a compassionate, integrated approach. Still, there is no timeline, plan or money, so that plan is useless. When is the government going to take the toxic drug crisis seriously, or is it just going to continue the stigma it is implementing in responding to this terrible crisis?”