Premier David Eby says his office remains committed to turning around the BC’s illicit drug crisis, which has been a public health emergency since the spring of 2016.
This despite some scathing words from Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe who is set to retire later this year. She believes the crisis has not seen a coordinated response, stating there have been several “one-off” projects and ad hoc announcements.
When speaking to the issue at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, Eby said while both sides haven’t always seen eye to eye, the wheels are in motion to turn this around.
“We disagree on some key responses here. But, at its heart, we don’t disagree that the province needs to continue our work to build an integrated mental health and addiction response network. In the Lower Mainland at St. Paul’s (Hospital in Vancouver), we have a new model of care that we are hoping to expand in other parts of the province where people enter the emergency room and go right into detox and treatment right on-site.”
“We have done a lot of work with the Canadian Mental Health Association to open additional beds – I will have more to say on that in the coming weeks but those are beds across the province. These are not one-off announcements, this is a system of care that needed to be built a long time ago that we are building out in the province to make sure everyone who is struggling with addiction has a chance to rebuild their lives.”
Lapointe also criticized the province on whether or not they read a recent coroner’s service death review panel report recommending controlled drugs to people without prescriptions.
Eby acknowledged he and other representatives did read the suggestions and noted a written response was sent back stating the province was not interested in pursuing the matter.
“The idea that we would provide these drugs without someone being involved like a medical professional is not one I agree with and we are not going to do it.”
Since the public health emergency was declared, the drug poisoning crisis has claimed the lives of 13-thousand people.
Sticking to health care, the construction of a 471-space parkade at UHNBC right by the BC Cancer Centre for the North will likely pave the way towards more upgrades.
In November, city council granted the Development Variance Permit for the eight-level parkade.
Eby noted this could open the door to other opportunities.
“That’s the necessary pre-work and that the business planning framework is being done by the health authority as is work around the helipad landing site for the hospital. That work will continue over the year and it’s important for Prince George, Fort Saint James, Terrace, and for so many of the communities who are receiving upgraded health facilities to have health care to meet people’s needs where they are.”
“Prince George is a health centre for the north, critical that they can respond for the need that’s here and our government will continue to prioritize that.”
With an October 19th election date looming, Eby was asked about the likelihood of BC United and the Conservative Party of BC splitting the vote.
The Conservatives are led by Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad, who was a former member of BC United (then BC Liberals) and has led a resurgence for the provincial Tories in the polls.
Eby bluntly responded that he is not a fan of Rustad or the Conservatives and that splitting the vote with Kevin Falcon and BC United would do very little.
“I think the BC Conservative Party represents a strain of politics that is quite toxic and really bad news for British Columbia. This kind of divisive, conspiracy-theory politics around anti-vax, climate change isn’t real, Republican-style culture war vilifying teachers and school librarians that they want to turn your kids gay.”
“All of this nonsense will only make us more divided as a province, it will make us poorer because people won’t embrace the change that we are leading on responding to climate change and where we have a huge advantage with our clean electricity. Being more divided, poorer, and frankly if we look at the United States where they are unable to get things done, I just cannot support that kind of politics as I think they are quite dangerous.”
“I am not happy to see them in our politics,” added Eby.
If an early vote isn’t called, Election Day is set for October 19th.