Conservatives say no to illicit drugs and weapons in hospitals

While it is the role and responsibility of the official opposition to hold the government accountable, it is often said that their role is not solely to oppose, but also to propose.

Last week, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre introduced the “Safe Hospitals Act.” If a Conservative government is elected in the next federal election, set for October 2025, they plan to implement this.

Before delving into the details of the Act, let’s discuss why it is necessary.

Many are aware that the B.C. NDP government, with the consent and support of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, approved a project to allow for the possession and use of certain illicit drugs. These include previously illegal and dangerous substances like cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and opioids.

Unfortunately, this experiment led to an increase in illegal drug use in many hospitals, compromising the safety of staff and patients. Even more concerning, illegal drug dealers and weapons such as knives were allowed into hospitals.

This information was uncovered through health authority documents leaked to several news organizations. It’s worth noting this information was leaked, as the health authorities in question did not publicly disclose it.

Imagine the shock that many patients and staff experienced when they discovered open drug use, drug dealers, and weapons being tolerated due to a health authority policy.

Credit goes to the BC Nurses Union, which raised concerns about this issue. They highlighted that patients and staff have been exposed to harmful, illegal drugs. It’s safe to say many would agree this is an entirely unacceptable situation in our hospitals.

Premier David Eby recently asked the Trudeau government to change the parameters of this project and make illicit drug use illegal again in all public spaces including parks, hospitals and on transit. This request came after the realization that the project was not successful and had also led to an increase in overdose-related fatalities. Ottawa agreed to BC’s request.

So, what does the Conservative “Safe Hospitals Act” entail? The act proposes several measures aimed at ensuring that our hospitals, particularly the staff and patients within, are never exposed to dangerous illegal drugs and weapons again. Measures include:

— Establishing an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes if a criminal possesses a weapon in a hospital.

— Eliminate the Health Minister’s ability to grant exemptions under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act if the exemption would permit the use of dangerous illicit drugs, such as fentanyl and meth, in hospitals.

— Pass the Private Members Bill C321, proposed by Cariboo—Prince George Conservative MP Todd Doherty, without delay. This bill will create an aggravating factor for assaults committed against healthcare workers or first responders.

It’s worth noting this safe hospital act would only be applicable to illegal drugs, and would not extend to any drugs prescribed by medical practitioners.

Although health care is a provincially provided service, these federally imposed measures can offer additional tools to help maintain the safety of our hospitals for patients and staff.

Allowing such ideological experiments from the NDP-Liberal governments has resulted in hospitals across the province to be filled with illegal drugs, drug dealers and weapons.