UCP striking committee on 'safe supply' of opioids, NDP skeptical of motive
Alberta is launching a bipartisan committee to study the issue of regulated supply sites for people who take opioids and other addictive substances.
The federal government calls the practice “safer supply.” Ottawa defines it as providing “prescribed medications to people who use drugs overseen by a healthcare practitioner” to prevent overdoses while offering treatment options.
There are currently 28 sites across the country, mostly in Ontario, and one approved site in Calgary.
The province’s associate minister of mental health and addiction would not say Monday if he supported the practice.
Instead, he accused the federal Liberals and Alberta NDP of “advocating for a taxpayer-funded supply of drugs for people with addiction.”
“Activists propose that users should be able to take these drugs and use them recreationally, with no restrictions and no accountability,’ said Mike Ellis, who is also a former police officer.
“This approach is concerning as it is widely accepted that the opioid crisis as we know it today was started by the OxyContin epidemic.”
Ellis said the committee meetings would be public and he would wait until after it made its findings to decide where he stands.
“This is a medical issue. It’s not about criminalizing this, and we’re looking and exploring all opportunities to do what is best for the citizens,” he said.
The province has recently funded an additional 8,000 addiction treatment beds, Ellis said.
NDP leader Rachel Notley said she’d go into the committee process with an open mind, but she was skeptical of the government’s motives.
“What’s not helpful is a UCP government that suggests that safe supply is some nefarious attempt to simply randomly hand out drugs to Albertans,” she said.
“I hope that is not the object of this committee.”
A local public health expert, who has been critical of the government’s policies on harm reduction, also took issue with Ellis’ statements.
“Negative sentiments like these from the Assoc. Minister make it very hard to believe this process will be fair, open and unbiased; or that the gov’t will seriously reconsider its current position on safe supply,” tweeted Elaine Hyshka, an assistant professor at the University of Alberta.
From January until the end of August 2021, 1,026 Albertans have died of a drug overdose, according to provincial data.
The government is proposing that UCP MLA Jeremy Nixon chair the committee with Tracy Allard serving as the deputy chair. Four NDP MLAs are also proposed to sit on the committee.
MLA Jason Nixon made the announcement in the legislature Monday and said the committee also intends to study any potential "increased risks" to people near the sites.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is supportive of ‘safe supply’ as one way to fight Canada’s overdose crisis.
In March 2020, the Alberta government released a report on supervised injection sites in the province, a process that was also criticized by some experts and community members.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.