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NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre introduced Sunday that he’ll fund centre-based addictions take care of 50,000 Canadians if he turns into prime minister.
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Poilievre mentioned at a Sunday morning press convention close to Vancouver that it wasn’t a coincidence that this determine matched the tough variety of Canadians who’ve succumbed to opioids since a nationwide disaster was declared in 2016.
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“Now that we’ve misplaced 50,000 to overdoses, the least we will do is of their honour save 50,000 extra,” mentioned Poilievre.
Poilievre mentioned within the video {that a} Conservative authorities will finances a median of $250 million per 12 months for 4 years to fund residential restoration centres that present medium- to long-term care to these combating addictions.
A part of this sum might be rerouted from $144 million in federal {dollars} at the moment earmarked for packages like safer provide, he mentioned.
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Poilievre additionally mentioned he anticipated a few of this funding to be recouped from authorities lawsuits in opposition to the opioid producers that “prompted the (opioid) disaster within the first place.”
He added that he’ll downsize the federal forms managing addictions and ban “pro-drug organizations” from receiving federal funds.
“No middlemen, no forms, simply actual assist for many who want it,” mentioned Poilievre.
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Former three-time White Home Workplace of Nationwide Drug Management Coverage adviser Kevin Sabet mentioned he welcomed Poilievre’s announcement and hopes the opposite occasion leaders will comply with in his footsteps.
“Canada desperately wants extra remedy beds, and it additionally wants extra levers to get folks into these beds. This is a superb first step that ought to be non-political, non-partisan, and non-controversial,” mentioned Sabet.
The Liberal marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Poilievre has been a harsh critic of the Liberal authorities’s drug insurance policies, calling its experiments with decriminalization and safer provide, which supplies prescribed opioids to addicts, “an entire catastrophe.”
Statistics point out that drug overdoses linked to fentanyl and different lethal opioids are on the decline nationally after peaking in 2021.
Knowledge launched by Well being Canada in December confirmed opioid-related deaths fell by 11 per cent within the first half of 2024, in comparison with the identical time interval in 2023.
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