Federal Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks, pushing the insatiable Liberal/NDP craving to decriminalize illicit hard drugs, dodged a simple question Tuesday.She was cornered. Either way, a simple yes or no answer would have damaged her credibility. Her absurd remarks before the Commons health committee damaged it anyway.“Do you believe decriminalization has been successful in British Columbia,” asked Alberta Conservative MP Laila Goodrich, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.“The only party that is preoccupied with decriminalization is really the Opposition,” replied Saks, who repeated that answer when Goodrich pressed her several times.For background: Following increased threats to public safety and the highest crime rates in Canada in several metro areas, BC almost completely reversed course last April halfway through a three-year hard drug decriminalization pilot project. It had permitted public possession of up 2.5 grams of narcotics.Former BC RCMP superintendent Shaun Wright called it the “most horrific failure of public policy” in three decades, and didn’t help addicts. In fact, the BC Coroners Service reported overdose deaths increased 16.5% during the trial period.But BC New Democrat MP Gord Johns told the committee the experiment was a success and erroneously declared overdose deaths in BC “dropped.” He apparently didn’t bother to do his homework before carelessly spouting off about such grim matters and diminishing the severity of the number of deaths.And the addictions minister, whose mandate is to address the increasing menace of despair and death swirling around illegal toxic drugs, ignored the harsh reality of the BC experiment.Saks obediently toed with the Liberal party line and deployed the old sleazy Liberal spin tactic to avoid accountability. Saks made a deplorable, feeble attempt to attack the Conservatives for being “preoccupied” with hard drug decriminalization.Thankfully, the Conservatives are preoccupied with trying to stop the insanity of decriminalizing hard illicit drugs that has repeatedly failed and cost lives.Portugal and Oregon are other examples of places where experiments were reversed. Estonia’s decriminalization of all drugs in 2005 led to a thriving illegally manufactured fentanyl black market, which led to Estonia becoming the drug overdose capital of Europe. And to Estonia reversing decriminalization.But the best Saks could do was mock the Conservatives.Imagine, as tough as drug addiction is to beat, the Conservatives don’t believe in giving up on addicts by giving them the green light to ingest more drugs to keep them trapped in misery. Or sent to their graves.Saks haughtily accused the Conservatives of “polarizing the debate.” What does that ridiculous claim even mean?She actually held up Portugal along with Switzerland and Germany as shining examples of helping addicts that “we cannot stigmatize and criminalize.”How about more emphasis on trying help them? Recovery is possible if there’s somewhere to go. Follow Alberta’s lead in efforts to treat addictions.Goodrich noted that the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and BC’s Association of Chiefs of Police pulled support of “this failed Liberal program.”But Saks slyly tried to sidestep that important detail.“I had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police directly and we are all in agreement that all tools are needed to address the toxic drug supply,” said Saks.Decriminalization is not one of the tools they endorse.She neglected to mention that the CACP withdrew its support November 27 for the decriminalization of possession of any amount of illicit drugs for personal use.It called on the federal government “to reconsider its current approach and to engage law enforcement, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders in developing more effective mental health and addictions solutions.”Here's another thought.Unleash police. Fund them enough to take down the 350 organized crime groups that have flourished under the Prime Minister Trudeau’s government giving Canada the distinction of becoming a significant illegal producer and exporter of fentanyl.Or should the greedy drug-dealing parasites be decriminalized too, according to the Liberals penchant for lax drug policies?Goodrich, to her credit, wouldn’t let up.“Why will you not rule out expanding this failed program,” she asked.To that, Saks shamefully replied: “It seems the Conservatives are big on outrage.”Like that’s a bad thing.From January 2016 — a year after Trudeau’s Liberals took power — to March 2024, there’ve been 47,162 reported opioid toxicity deaths, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.Between January to March of this year, 84% of the accidental deaths occurred in BC, Alberta, and Ontario, 72% of them male, 31% aged 30 to 39. And 81% of those involved non-pharmaceutical fentanyl which is 100% stronger than morphine, heroine, or oxycodone.Between January 2016 and March 2024 there were 44,366 opioid-related poisonings, 65% of them accidental.And between January 2016 and March 2024 there were 216,560 EMS responses to suspected opioid-related overdoses.But Conservative “outrage” is what addictions minister Saks has a problem with.This would be the same addictions minister who was “seized” with declaring an “unwavering” all-out war on fruity and sweet-flavoured vapes.The best solution Liberal/NDP buffoons can come up with is to decriminalize illicit hard drugs, knowing users won’t be protected from unknowingly buying drugs laced with fentanyl.The Liberals have to know that decriminalizing hard drugs only makes drug dealers richer.It’s an experiment that will only lead to more crime, more violence, more B&Es, and theft by addicts to support the habits.It will lead to more addicts — including the very young, male and female — who work the dangerous and demeaning sex trade to feed their habits.It will lead to more grief and tears of families who get that dreaded gut-wrenching call. This proven deadly experiment will result in more overdoses that might not have occurred if there wasn’t a shortage of help for those who desperately struggled to beat wicked addictions but failed one last and fatal time.That’s a far worse fate than “stigmatizing” them as criminals. Any idiot can grasp that.But it somehow escapes the comprehension of Canada’s addiction minister who could use a good dose of that “outrage” she callously mocked.
Federal Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks, pushing the insatiable Liberal/NDP craving to decriminalize illicit hard drugs, dodged a simple question Tuesday.She was cornered. Either way, a simple yes or no answer would have damaged her credibility. Her absurd remarks before the Commons health committee damaged it anyway.“Do you believe decriminalization has been successful in British Columbia,” asked Alberta Conservative MP Laila Goodrich, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.“The only party that is preoccupied with decriminalization is really the Opposition,” replied Saks, who repeated that answer when Goodrich pressed her several times.For background: Following increased threats to public safety and the highest crime rates in Canada in several metro areas, BC almost completely reversed course last April halfway through a three-year hard drug decriminalization pilot project. It had permitted public possession of up 2.5 grams of narcotics.Former BC RCMP superintendent Shaun Wright called it the “most horrific failure of public policy” in three decades, and didn’t help addicts. In fact, the BC Coroners Service reported overdose deaths increased 16.5% during the trial period.But BC New Democrat MP Gord Johns told the committee the experiment was a success and erroneously declared overdose deaths in BC “dropped.” He apparently didn’t bother to do his homework before carelessly spouting off about such grim matters and diminishing the severity of the number of deaths.And the addictions minister, whose mandate is to address the increasing menace of despair and death swirling around illegal toxic drugs, ignored the harsh reality of the BC experiment.Saks obediently toed with the Liberal party line and deployed the old sleazy Liberal spin tactic to avoid accountability. Saks made a deplorable, feeble attempt to attack the Conservatives for being “preoccupied” with hard drug decriminalization.Thankfully, the Conservatives are preoccupied with trying to stop the insanity of decriminalizing hard illicit drugs that has repeatedly failed and cost lives.Portugal and Oregon are other examples of places where experiments were reversed. Estonia’s decriminalization of all drugs in 2005 led to a thriving illegally manufactured fentanyl black market, which led to Estonia becoming the drug overdose capital of Europe. And to Estonia reversing decriminalization.But the best Saks could do was mock the Conservatives.Imagine, as tough as drug addiction is to beat, the Conservatives don’t believe in giving up on addicts by giving them the green light to ingest more drugs to keep them trapped in misery. Or sent to their graves.Saks haughtily accused the Conservatives of “polarizing the debate.” What does that ridiculous claim even mean?She actually held up Portugal along with Switzerland and Germany as shining examples of helping addicts that “we cannot stigmatize and criminalize.”How about more emphasis on trying help them? Recovery is possible if there’s somewhere to go. Follow Alberta’s lead in efforts to treat addictions.Goodrich noted that the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and BC’s Association of Chiefs of Police pulled support of “this failed Liberal program.”But Saks slyly tried to sidestep that important detail.“I had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police directly and we are all in agreement that all tools are needed to address the toxic drug supply,” said Saks.Decriminalization is not one of the tools they endorse.She neglected to mention that the CACP withdrew its support November 27 for the decriminalization of possession of any amount of illicit drugs for personal use.It called on the federal government “to reconsider its current approach and to engage law enforcement, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders in developing more effective mental health and addictions solutions.”Here's another thought.Unleash police. Fund them enough to take down the 350 organized crime groups that have flourished under the Prime Minister Trudeau’s government giving Canada the distinction of becoming a significant illegal producer and exporter of fentanyl.Or should the greedy drug-dealing parasites be decriminalized too, according to the Liberals penchant for lax drug policies?Goodrich, to her credit, wouldn’t let up.“Why will you not rule out expanding this failed program,” she asked.To that, Saks shamefully replied: “It seems the Conservatives are big on outrage.”Like that’s a bad thing.From January 2016 — a year after Trudeau’s Liberals took power — to March 2024, there’ve been 47,162 reported opioid toxicity deaths, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.Between January to March of this year, 84% of the accidental deaths occurred in BC, Alberta, and Ontario, 72% of them male, 31% aged 30 to 39. And 81% of those involved non-pharmaceutical fentanyl which is 100% stronger than morphine, heroine, or oxycodone.Between January 2016 and March 2024 there were 44,366 opioid-related poisonings, 65% of them accidental.And between January 2016 and March 2024 there were 216,560 EMS responses to suspected opioid-related overdoses.But Conservative “outrage” is what addictions minister Saks has a problem with.This would be the same addictions minister who was “seized” with declaring an “unwavering” all-out war on fruity and sweet-flavoured vapes.The best solution Liberal/NDP buffoons can come up with is to decriminalize illicit hard drugs, knowing users won’t be protected from unknowingly buying drugs laced with fentanyl.The Liberals have to know that decriminalizing hard drugs only makes drug dealers richer.It’s an experiment that will only lead to more crime, more violence, more B&Es, and theft by addicts to support the habits.It will lead to more addicts — including the very young, male and female — who work the dangerous and demeaning sex trade to feed their habits.It will lead to more grief and tears of families who get that dreaded gut-wrenching call. This proven deadly experiment will result in more overdoses that might not have occurred if there wasn’t a shortage of help for those who desperately struggled to beat wicked addictions but failed one last and fatal time.That’s a far worse fate than “stigmatizing” them as criminals. Any idiot can grasp that.But it somehow escapes the comprehension of Canada’s addiction minister who could use a good dose of that “outrage” she callously mocked.
