43rd Parliament289Closed upon dissolutionAugust 15, 2021e-3384e-3384 (Food and drink)VickeyBrownGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 3, 2021, at 9:38 a.m. (EDT)September 1, 2021, at 9:38 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Farmers’ Markets are a key tool for COVID-19 recovery as small business incubators, domestic food system resilience and security builders, and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program (FMNCP) is a key support for new and existing Farmers’ Market development and their provincial associations or equivalent;FMNCP helps create food security and resiliency by providing vulnerable people access to healthy locally-grown foods and dietary education, while improving the physical and mental health of participants, by increasing the amount and diversity of fruits and vegetables they consume; andFMNCP increases domestic food supply, sustainable farming, and farmers by providing a secure source of income via farmers’ market sales, and these farmers are key stakeholders in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and prevention.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to initiate a national matching program for all provincial FMNCPs across Canada that would match provinces who are already contributing to their FMNCP, and encourage provinces that do not have such a program to implement one by offering matching funding.Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon ProgramFarmers marketsFood and drinkFood supply43rd Parliament291Not answered before dissolutionAugust 15, 2021e-3303e-3303 (Environment)AnnaBarfordGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMarch 31, 2021, at 9:55 a.m. (EDT)April 30, 2021, at 9:55 a.m. (EDT)May 13, 2021May 3, 2021Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canadians care deeply about the health of the ocean, and depend on a thriving ocean ecosystem;In 2019, over one million cruise ship passengers travelled off British Columbia on their way to Alaska;These ships generate significant amounts of pollutants that are harmful to human health, aquatic organisms and coastal ecosystems;Canada’s regulations under the Canada Shipping Act addressing the discharge of sewage and greywater are much less stringent than those in US Pacific coastal states;Canada permits sewage to be discharged with 18 times greater fecal coliform counts than does Alaska;Canada does not require that ships built before 2013 treat greywater discharges; 22 of the 25 cruise ships sailing off British Columbia in 2019 were built before 2013;The Salish Sea in Washington State is a no-discharge zone prohibiting the discharge of sewage in order to protect public health, water quality, and sensitive marine resources; Canada has zero no-discharge zones off British Columbia;Canada does not require third party independent observers on board cruise ships as is required by Alaska; andCanada’s less stringent regulations encourage cruise ships to discharge their waste off British Columbia.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Set standards for cruise ship sewage and greywater discharges equivalent to or stronger than those in Alaska;2. Designate no-discharge zones to stop pollution in marine protected areas, the entirety of the Salish and Great Bear Seas, and in critical habitat for threatened and endangered species; and3. Require regular independent third-party monitoring while ships are underway to ensure discharge requirements are met.British ColumbiaCruise shipsSewage treatment and disposalWater quality43rd Parliament289Closed upon dissolutionAugust 15, 2021e-3431e-3431 (Transportation)ChrisAlemanyGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 19, 2021, at 9:18 a.m. (EDT)August 17, 2021, at 9:18 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees under Section 6(2) that every citizen and permanent resident has the right to move to and take up residence in any province and to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in any province;Greyhound Canada and other carriers have severely curtailed or ended their national, inter-provincial and intercity transportation services stranding millions of Canadians with no affordable or safe alternative to move about their regions and the country; andThe Government of Canada itself and in partnership with the Provinces and Territories has historically demonstrated an ability through services like VIA Rail and other public transportation entities as well as using its legislative and executive powers to guarantee affordable and accessible public transportation to all citizens and permanent residents of Canada.We, the undersigned, Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to create or empower a national public corporation to provide transportation by bus and rail to all Canadians with the mission of connecting all communities within every province and territory with safe, affordable, accessible and integrated service.Public transitTransport corridors43rd Parliament291Not answered before dissolutionAugust 15, 2021432-01144432-01144 (Business and trade)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 17, 2021May 26, 2021Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS
  • COVID-19 resulted in a crisis in the Small Business sector;
  • During the pandemic, revenues were catastrophically impacted as a result of closures, capacity limits & social restrictions;
  • Operating costs have spiked; and
  • The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), Canada Emergency Business Account and Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program have played a critical role in saving jobs, but some businesses remain ineligible due only to the timing of their projects.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Adjust eligibility for these programs to include both New and Newly-Expanded Businesses, who can demonstrate that their project was non-reversible at the outset of the pandemic; 2. Implement an alternate method for determining CEWS and CERS rates for these businesses; 3. Back pay to March 15th, 2020 both CEWS and CERS to these businesses based on the alternate rate.
Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response PlanCOVID-19PandemicSmall and medium-sized enterprises
43rd Parliament291Not answered before dissolutionAugust 15, 2021432-01039432-01039 (Taxation)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 3, 2021May 26, 2021Petition to Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account of 83% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training, and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they lives; and
  • It would help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Private Members' Bill C-264 and increase the tax exemption from $3,000 to $10,000 for lines 31220 and 31240 to help our essential volunteer firefighters and volunteer search and rescue people across the country.
C-264, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services)Emergency servicesTax creditsVolunteering and volunteers
43rd Parliament291Not answered before dissolutionAugust 15, 2021e-3174e-3174 (Indigenous affairs)NoemieFoleyGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 18, 2021, at 6:34 p.m. (EDT)June 18, 2021, at 6:34 p.m. (EDT)June 22, 2021June 21, 2021Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="253395" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Health</Addressee>Whereas:Health Canada has an open file (no. 10-MM0330) to license a medical marijuana facility at 7827 Beaver Creek Road, in Port Alberni, British Columbia;This Walmart-sized cannabis facility would be located directly across the street (174 m) from Kackaamin, a First Nations Family Trauma and Addictions healing centre that provides treatment to adults, while housing the entire family, with onsite fully accredited daycare and K-12 school;Kackaamin is doing the work of healing from our shared history of colonialism and residential schools;Kackaamin was never consulted in the initial planning of this facility, and has requested that this facility be located elsewhere;The purpose of the Cannabis Act is “to protect public health and public safety”; andThe Government of Canada has commitments to reconciliation, the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)'s Calls to Action.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to:1. Acknowledge the implicit racism in the policy choices of Health Canada’s cannabis licensing process and handling of this file;2. Adhere to the purpose of the Cannabis Act and the principle of reconciliation;3. Expedite review of this file and cancel all cannabis licenses and applications at 7827, 7825 and 7821 Beaver Creek Road, Port Alberni, B.C., under s. 62(7)(g) of the Cannabis Act “in the public interest”; and4. Apologize to Kackaamin and reaffirm their commitment to the UNDRIP and the TRC’s Calls to Action.CannabisCrop productionIndigenous policyPermits and licencesPort AlberniRacial equality43rd Parliament291Not answered before dissolutionAugust 15, 2021432-01162432-01162 (Taxation)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 18, 2021June 7, 2021Petition to Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account of 83% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training, and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they lives; and
  • It would help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Private Members' Bill C-264 and increase the tax exemption from $3,000 to $10,000 for lines 31220 and 31240 to help our essential volunteer firefighters and volunteer search and rescue people across the country.
C-264, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services)Emergency servicesTax creditsVolunteering and volunteers
43rd Parliament291Not answered before dissolutionAugust 15, 2021432-00987432-00987 (Business and trade)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 27, 2021May 26, 2021Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS
  • COVID-19 resulted in a crisis in the Small Business sector;
  • During the pandemic, revenues were catastrophically impacted as a result of closures, capacity limits & social restrictions;
  • Operating costs have spiked; and
  • The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), Canada Emergency Business Account and Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program have played a critical role in saving jobs, but some businesses remain ineligible due only to the timing of their projects.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Adjust eligibility for these programs to include both New and Newly-Expanded Businesses, who can demonstrate that their project was non-reversible at the outset of the pandemic; 2. Implement an alternate method for determining CEWS and CERS rates for these businesses; 3. Back pay to March 15th, 2020 both CEWS and CERS to these businesses based on the alternate rate.
Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response PlanCOVID-19PandemicSmall and medium-sized enterprises
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJune 21, 2021432-00924432-00924 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 6, 2021June 21, 2021February 15, 2021Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Health Canada has an open file (# 10-MM0330) to license a Medical Marijuana facility at 7827 Beaver Creek Rd., in Port Alberni, British Columbia;
  • This Walmart-sized cannabis facility would be located directly across the street (174m) from Kackaamin, a First Nations Family Trauma and Addictions healing centre that provides treatment to adults while housing the entire family, with onsite fully accredited daycare and K-12 school;
  • Kackaamin is doing the work of healing from our shared history of Colonialism and Residential Schools;
  • Kackaamin was never consulted in the initial planning of this facility, and has requested that this facility be located elsewhere;
  • The purpose of the Cannabis Act is “to protect public health and public safety"; and
  • The government of Canada has commitments to Reconciliation, UNDRIP and to implement TRC's Calls to Action.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to:
  • Acknowledge the implicit racism in the policy choices of Health Canada's Cannabis licensing process and handling of this file;
  • Adhere to the purpose of the Cannabis Act and Principle of Reconciliation;
  • Expedite review of this file and cancel all cannabis licenses and applications at 7827, 7825 and 7821 Beaver Creek Rd., Port Alberni, BC. under s. 62(7)(g) of the Cannabis Act "in the public interest;"
  • Apologize to Kackaamin and reaffirm their commitment to the UNDRIP and the TRC's Calls to Action.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'ConnellThe Government of Canada is committed to a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. Health Canada works closely with Indigenous leaders, organizations and communities across the country to consider carefully any cannabis-related interests and to advance shared objectives of protecting public health and safety.Due to Access to Information and Privacy laws, Health Canada is unable to disclose personal information or information provided by a third party, including the status of any licence application, unless granted consent. However, the Department has engaged specifically with representatives of the Kackaamin Family Development Centre, the City of Port Alberni, and the Province of British Columbia in the interest of promoting understanding and discussing community concerns.The Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations create a strict framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada. The purpose of the Act is to protect public health and public safety by keeping cannabis out of the hands of youth and profits out of the pockets of criminals, and providing adults with legal access to a quality-controlled source of cannabis. In order to achieve these aims, any licence application for medical marijuana facilities undergo a thorough and rigorous review, and any approved facilities are subject to strict enforcement measures.Before submitting an application, an applicant must provide written notice of their intentions to the local authorities. The Department processes licence applications in the order received, and begins its review only after the applicant has submitted a complete application, including a site-evidence package that demonstrates that the site is fully built and compliant with the stringent requirements set out in the Act and Regulations. Some of the criteria by which Health Canada assesses an application include:
  • the physical security measures at the site;
  • the processes that will be used for the building and the equipment to help ensure that cannabis meets quality standards appropriate to its intended use;
  • the applicant’s demonstration of an air filtration system to prevent the escape of odours;
  • how the applicant will keep records of their activities with cannabis, such as records for tracking sales, product returns and product inventory; and,
  • the security profile of key personnel.
If Health Canada does issue a licence after this meticulous review, an applicant must comply with the Cannabis Regulations and all other applicable laws and is subject to any enforcement measures. These additional applicable laws include: local by-laws and fire codes; municipal, provincial and territorial laws, such as environmental or nuisance laws; as well as any by-laws/regulations made by a First Nation acting within their legal authority, if the application is for activities located on reserves. Health Canada possesses a range of enforcement tools to verify compliance, including inspections, to ensure that licensees produce, sell, and distribute cannabis in accordance with the Cannabis Regulations. Health Canada encourages licence applicants to undertake consultation and engagement with local communities to address any concerns or questions they may have about proposed cannabis production facilities. The stringent controls on the commercial cultivation, processing, and sale of quality-controlled cannabis strive to safeguard the public health and safety of communities. Applications for licenses can be refused under grounds outlined in the Regulations, especially if there is a special risk to public health or safety, such as the risk of cannabis being diverted to an illicit market or activity. Such determinations, however, can only be made once the review of an application is complete.
CannabisIndigenous policyPermits and licencesPort Alberni
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJune 14, 2021e-3290e-3290 (Food and drink)VickeyBrownGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMarch 24, 2021, at 5:22 p.m. (EDT)April 23, 2021, at 5:22 p.m. (EDT)April 30, 2021June 14, 2021April 26, 2021Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Farmers’ Markets are a key tool for COVID-19 recovery as small business incubators, domestic food system resilience and security builders and Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs (FMNCPs) are a key support for new and existing farmers’ market development and their provincial associations or equivalent;FMNCPs helps create food security and resiliency by providing vulnerable people access to healthy locally grown foods and dietary education while improving the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of fruits and vegetables they consume;FMNCPs increase domestic food supply, sustainable farming and farmers by providing a secure source of income via farmers’ market sales, and these farmers are key stakeholders in climate change mitigation, adaptation and prevention; The BC Association of Farmers’ Markets with its long-term experience and partnership with the province, provides an excellent model for FMNCP, providing almost 16,000 vulnerable families, seniors and pregnant women with access to weekly coupons, and $1.9 million to local farmers; andAs there is a waiting list in all communities participating in BC’s program, a national matching program would assist in meeting that demand, supporting those provinces who have a provincial program to expand and encourage provinces without a program to create one.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to initiate a national matching program for all provincial FMNCPs across Canada that would match provinces who are already contributing to their FMNCP and encourage provinces that do not have such a program to implement one by offering matching funding.
Response by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, PC, MPOn June 17, 2019, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) launched the first Food Policy for Canada, a whole-of-government approach supporting the vision that “All people in Canada are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious and culturally diverse food. Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative, sustains our environment, and supports our economy.”The Food Policy for Canada is an ambitious initiative, the product of consultation and collaboration with Canadians across the country. The Government of Canada heard from more than 45,000 Canadians, including agricultural producers and processors, experts in environment, health and food security, Indigenous groups, non-government organizations, and community advocates.Recognizing the importance of helping communities access healthy food, AAFC is delivering the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, a Food Policy initiative with $50 million in funding to strengthen local food systems and to facilitate access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations.The first phase of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund provided up to $25,000 for 362 projects for a total investment of $6.6 million. This funding supported projects including community gardens, the purchase of refrigerated trucks, kitchen and other equipment needed to prepare, store and distribute food, and the installation of solar panels and irrigation systems.In April 2020, the Government launched the Emergency Food Security Fund, to help improve access to food for people experiencing food insecurity in Canada that has been exacerbated as a result of COVID-19. Through this initiative, AAFC has made available up to $200 million to food banks and other food assistance organizations to support the urgent food needs of Canadians.The Government of Canada invested an additional $140 million in 2021-22 through Budget 2021 to top up the Emergency Food Security Fund and Local Food Infrastructure Fund.As Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs (FMNCPs) help address food insecurity by providing vulnerable people access to healthy locally grown foods, funding may be available as part of the Emergency Food Security Fund through contacting the intermediary organizationsthat distribute funding.In British Columbia, the FMNCP program is supported by the Province of British Columbia, the Provincial Health Services Authority and community donors. The Public Health Agency of Canada’s Multisectoral Partnership Program supported a similar initiative, with an investment of $1.5M from 2020 to 2024 to expand Community Food Centres Canada’s Market Greens initiative to 30 locations across Canada. The Market Greens initiative supports increased access to low-cost fresh produce markets and offers fruit and vegetable vouchers/coupons that can be used at participating local affordable markets.Thank you for sharing your proposal to improve Canadians’ access to healthy, local foods through farmers markets and FMNCPs. The Government of Canada remains committed to considering all opportunities to improve food security for Canadians and a vibrant, productive agriculture sector in Canada.
Farmers marketsFood supply
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJune 7, 2021432-00855432-00855 (Taxation)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCApril 22, 2021June 7, 2021April 20, 2021Petition to Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account of 83% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training, and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they lives; and
  • It would help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Private Members' Bill C-264 and increase the tax exemption from $3,000 to $10,000 for lines 31220 and 31240 to help our essential volunteer firefighters and volunteer search and rescue people across the country.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.The Government recognizes the contributions of all volunteers and the important roles they play in their communities. In light of this, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by volunteers in the course of their duties may generally be reimbursed on a non-taxable basis. Additionally, emergency services volunteers are eligible for an income exemption of up to $1,000 if they received an honorarium from a government, municipality, or other public authority. The Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit provide tax recognition for eligible volunteers who do not receive an honorarium or who do not claim the income exemption. Our Government is committed to a tax system that is fair, and that works for the middle class. The first action of our second mandate was to introduce a measure that would increase the amount of money Canadians can earn before paying federal income tax to $15,000 by 2023.  To ensure that this tax relief goes to the people who need it most, the benefits would be phased out for the wealthiest Canadians.At this time, our Government is focused on helping Canadians get through the challenges they face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government will continue to support Canadians through this challenge while ensuring that our economy is ready to bounce back quickly.
C-264, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services)Emergency servicesTax creditsVolunteering and volunteers
43rd Parliament229Not certifiedApril 26, 2021e-3291e-3291 (Social affairs and equality)MichaelWaltonGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMarch 25, 2021, at 2:59 p.m. (EDT)April 24, 2021, at 2:59 p.m. (EDT)April 26, 2021Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the gaping cracks in care and support for seniors to the extent that our current generation of elders is dying in care homes at rates exceeding anything a modern society should allow; In passing its various Canada Emergency Response Benefits (CERB) packages, to modernize the Employment Insurance (EI) benefits that were deemed inadequate, the House of Commons has determined that a minimum income to ensure a Canadian's health and well being is $500 per week; While seniors rely on three different programs for government support (Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)), the OAS is the only one that is universal for all seniors; An immediate increase in the OAS will have many benefits for both seniors and our society, allowing for many to remain in independent living situations longer and provide future savings to the health care system while providing stimulus in local communities to aid in the recovery from the COVID-19 recession; Seniors rely heavily on community services and spend their money locally; and Seniors deserve to be treated with as much respect as other Canadians going through these difficult times together.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to immediately increase the OAS seniors benefit to the same amount as the CERB benefit, which is currently $500.Old Age SecuritySenior citizens43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 12, 2021432-00566432-00566 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 25, 2021April 12, 2021February 15, 2021Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Health Canada has an open file (# 10-MM0330) to license a Medical Marijuana facility at 7827 Beaver Creek Rd., in Port Alberni, British Columbia;
  • This Walmart-sized cannabis facility would be located directly across the street (174m) from Kackaamin, a First Nations Family Trauma and Addictions healing centre that provides treatment to adults while housing the entire family, with onsite fully accredited daycare and K-12 school;
  • Kackaamin is doing the work of healing from our shared history of Colonialism and Residential Schools;
  • Kackaamin was never consulted in the initial planning of this facility, and has requested that this facility be located elsewhere;
  • The purpose of the Cannabis Act is “to protect public health and public safety"; and
  • The government of Canada has commitments to Reconciliation, UNDRIP and to implement TRC's Calls to Action.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to:
  • Acknowledge the implicit racism in the policy choices of Health Canada's Cannabis licensing process and handling of this file;
  • Adhere to the purpose of the Cannabis Act and Principle of Reconciliation;
  • Expedite review of this file and cancel all cannabis licenses and applications at 7827, 7825 and 7821 Beaver Creek Rd., Port Alberni, BC. under s. 62(7)(g) of the Cannabis Act "in the public interest;"
  • Apologize to Kackaamin and reaffirm their commitment to the UNDRIP and the TRC's Calls to Action.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'ConnellThe Government of Canada is committed to a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. Health Canada works closely with Indigenous leaders, organizations and communities across the country to consider carefully any cannabis-related interests and to advance shared objectives of protecting public health and safety.Due to Access to Information and Privacy laws, Health Canada is unable to disclose personal information or information provided by a third party, including the status of any licence application, unless granted consent. However, the Department has engaged specifically with representatives of the Kackaamin Family Development Centre, the City of Port Alberni, and the Province of British Columbia in the interest of promoting understanding and discussing community concerns.The Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations create a strict framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada. The purpose of the Act is to protect public health and public safety by keeping cannabis out of the hands of youth and profits out of the pockets of criminals, and providing adults with legal access to a quality-controlled source of cannabis. In order to achieve these aims, any licence application for medical marijuana facilities undergo a thorough and rigorous review, and any approved facilities are subject to strict enforcement measures.Before submitting an application, an applicant must provide written notice of their intentions to the local authorities. The Department processes licence applications in the order received, and begins its review only after the applicant has submitted a complete application, including a site-evidence package that demonstrates that the site is fully built and compliant with the stringent requirements set out in the Act and Regulations. Some of the criteria by which Health Canada assesses an application include:
  • the physical security measures at the site;
  • the processes that will be used for the building and the equipment to help ensure that cannabis meets quality standards appropriate to its intended use;
  • the applicant’s demonstration of an air filtration system to prevent the escape of odours;
  • how the applicant will keep records of their activities with cannabis, such as records for tracking sales, product returns and product inventory; and,
  • the security profile of key personnel.
If Health Canada does issue a licence after this meticulous review, an applicant must comply with the Cannabis Regulations and all other applicable laws and is subject to any enforcement measures. These additional applicable laws include: local by-laws and fire codes; municipal, provincial and territorial laws, such as environmental or nuisance laws; as well as any by-laws/regulations made by a First Nation acting within their legal authority, if the application is for activities located on reserves. Health Canada possesses a range of enforcement tools to verify compliance, including inspections, to ensure that licensees produce, sell, and distribute cannabis in accordance with the Cannabis Regulations. Health Canada encourages licence applicants to undertake consultation and engagement with local communities to address any concerns or questions they may have about proposed cannabis production facilities. The stringent controls on the commercial cultivation, processing, and sale of quality-controlled cannabis strive to safeguard the public health and safety of communities. Applications for licenses can be refused under grounds outlined in the Regulations, especially if there is a special risk to public health or safety, such as the risk of cannabis being diverted to an illicit market or activity. Such determinations, however, can only be made once the review of an application is complete.
CannabisIndigenous policyPermits and licencesPort Alberni
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2021e-2846e-2846 (Taxation)SeanWoodGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 26, 2020, at 10:05 a.m. (EDT)December 25, 2020, at 10:05 a.m. (EDT)February 4, 2021March 22, 2021December 29, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Volunteer firefighters account for 83% of Canada’s total firefighting essential first responders;In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour; If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to increase the tax exemption from $3,000 to $10,000 for lines 31220 and 31240 to help our essential volunteer firefighters and volunteer search and rescue people across the country.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government recognizes the contributions of all volunteers and the important roles they play in their communities. In light of this, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by volunteers in the course of their duties may generally be reimbursed on a non-taxable basis. Additionally, emergency services volunteers are eligible for an income exemption of up to $1,000 if they received an honorarium from a government, municipality, or other public authority. The Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit provide tax recognition for eligible volunteers who do not receive an honorarium or who do not claim the income exemption. Our Government is committed to a tax system that is fair, and that works for the middle class. The first action of our second mandate was to introduce a measure that would increase the amount of money Canadians can earn before paying federal income tax to $15,000 by 2023.  To ensure that this tax relief goes to the people who need it most, the benefits would be phased out for the wealthiest Canadians.At this time, our Government is focused on helping Canadians get through the challenges they face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Government will continue to support Canadians through this challenge while ensuring that our economy is ready to bounce back quickly. 
Tax creditsVolunteer firefightersVolunteering and volunteers
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2021e-2830e-2830 (Indigenous affairs)ColleenHele CardinalGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 16, 2020, at 5:22 p.m. (EDT)December 15, 2020, at 5:22 p.m. (EDT)January 28, 2021March 22, 2021December 16, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas: The Sixties Scoop refers to a practice that occurred in Canada of taking or "scooping up" Indigenous children from their families and communities for placement in foster homes or adoption;The Sixties Scoop began in the late 1950s and persisted into the 1980s; It is estimated that over 20,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families; andIn 2018, the Government of Canada announced a settlement agreement with the survivors of the Sixties Scoop.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to work with the Sixties Scoop Network and survivors on a ceremony with the intent of asking forgiveness and issuing a national apology in the House of Commons.
Response by the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): GARY ANANDASANGAREEThe Sixties Scoop is a dark and terrible chapter in Canada’s history. Working together to bring a meaningful resolution to its painful legacy is an important step in our journey of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.The current settlement represents the first step in resolving the Sixties Scoop litigation. The Government of Canada is committed to working with plaintiffs, their counsel, provinces, territories and leadership to resolve outstanding claims with other Indigenous people affected by the Sixties Scoop, including Métis and non-Status Indians.The Government of Canada remains committed to righting the wrongs of the past and will consider the important request for a national apology as work toward reconciliation with all Sixties Scoop survivors continues.
AdoptionChildrenIndigenous peoplesOfficial apology
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00333432-00333 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCDecember 3, 2020January 25, 2021December 2, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada Therefore, we the undersigned residents of Canada call upon the federal government to work with the province of BC, coastal First Nations and the fish farm industry to develop a strategy to transition open net-pen salmon farms out of BC waters by 2025; which would include the following measures;7) Legislation aimed at;
  • a) Immediately stopping the transfer of PRV infected smolts into open net-pen fish farms.
  • b) Completing the transitioning of open net-pen fish farms to land based closed containment by 2025.
8) Dedicated funding and financing for;
  • a) Upgrade training for fish farms workers to move to employment in land based close containment facilities.
  • b) Transitioning workers out of the aquaculture industry in regions that will not have land based closed containment.
  • c) Remote First Nations communities currently dependent on revenues from the fish farm industry.
Furthermore, we call upon the Government of Canada to legislate the removal of open net-pen fish farms from BC waters by 2025.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government is dedicated to working with the Province of British Columbia (BC) and Indigenous communities to transition marine net-pen salmon farming in coastal BC waters in an environmentally responsible, sustainable, and economically feasible way. Fisheries and Oceans Canada and our partners have a solid foundation of research to help inform the development of this transition, including: the State of the Salmon Aquaculture Technology Report; the recommendations of the Indigenous and multi-stakeholder advisory body and its three technical working groups; and the Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans’ report “An Ocean of Opportunities: Aquaculture in Canada.”A strategic oversight committee has been created to guide the development of the transition. The committee will oversee a technical working group that will be responsible for advancing key components such as the development of an engagement strategy and identifying further areas for research. The group’s initial efforts will focus on developing a framework for meaningful engagement with First Nations and stakeholders starting in 2021. Moreover, as announced on November 12, 2020, Parliamentary Secretary Beech was tasked with engaging with First Nations in BC, the aquaculture industry, and environmental stakeholders on this initiative and to present the results in an interim report this spring.The Parliamentary Secretary’s interim report will guide further engagement and research efforts by the strategic oversight committee and technical working group to inform the development of a responsible transition in BC. The Department will take the time necessary to ensure that broad consultations and research inform the basis of an environmentally responsible, sustainable, and economically feasible transition in BC.Regarding legislation, the Department is moving forward in developing Canada’s first ever Aquaculture Act, as stated in the mandate letter. Federal aquaculture legislation will provide greater clarity and certainty as the industry develops across Canada, while respecting existing jurisdictions. The proposed Act would foster a nationally consistent and adaptable legislative framework, taking into account regional differences. The Aquaculture Act would also seek to establish a forward-looking licensing regime that captures new types of aquaculture, including new species, methods and locations. A second set of consultations was launched in August 2020 to build off of the consultation work undertaken in March to December 2019 to gather further advice and views from Canadians on provisions that could be addressed in a new Aquaculture Act.
Closed containment aquacultureWild salmon
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00305432-00305 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 27, 2020January 25, 2021November 26, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 16,364 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and March 2020.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction services and other necessary medications during the pandemic.For example, the Minister of Health has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to prescribed medications and to allow for flexibility during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada also issued a temporary class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. This exemption was extended to September 30, 2021, given the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally, Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs, in order for them to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical-grade medications like hydromorphone, as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) is providing $21.9 million in funding over four years to support 11 projects that provide a supply of pharmaceutical grade medications for people with opioid use disorder in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. This includes $16.1M for five multi–year pilot projects and $5.8M for six shorter-term initiatives funded in response to the risk posed by the worsening toxic illegal drug supply as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Health Canada is also working with community organizations funded through SUAP to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the British Columbia Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada is committed to a holistic, public health approach to addressing problematic substance use that is focused on reducing harms and saving lives, through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy. The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
While our government is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal drugs at this time, we will continue to work with civil society organizations to assess options that could better support the needs of people who use drugs, during this difficult time.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the contaminated illegal supply to eligible clients at risk of overdose; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewan to increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 million to implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
The Government of Canada is further supporting those who are most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic by investing $500 million towards health care, including support for Canadians experiencing challenges with substance use, mental health, or homelessness. This investment is part of the more than $19 billion invested through the Safe Restart Agreement to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and ensure Canadians have the support they need in these challenging times.In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 37 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on supporting a range of care models for people at risk of overdose and building the evidence base for innovative public health interventions. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00297432-00297 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 26, 2020January 25, 2021March 23, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • THAT the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that the Pacific herring population dropped by approximately 1/3 between 2016 and 2019, and will drop by more than 50% by 2020;
  • THAT the unexpected drop in the herring population has led to overfishing of existing stock;
  • THAT Pacific herring is the basis of the food web that supports salmon, killer and humpback whales, cod and halibut, seabirds and other independent species on the Pacific coast;
  • THAT First Nations have constitutionally protected rights to herring which are an important food source and an integral part of First Nation cultures.
THEREFORE, we the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to suspend the 2020 Salish Sea herring fishery until a whole ecosystem plan is developed, to fairly compensate local fishers for economic losses, and to ensure that decisions are made with the full participation of First Nations and local communities.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to effectively managing Pacific herring fisheries through evidence-based decisions, ensuring the health and sustainability of these stocks into the future. We share your view that Pacific herring is an important source of food for many species on the Pacific coast and recognize that herring is an integral part of Frist Nations’ culture and that First Nations have priority access to herring for food, social, and ceremonial purposes, after conservation.Pacific herring are a forage fish species and as such, have large fluctuations in abundance, so a decline in biomass is not unexpected. Biomass forecasts are highly uncertain due to factors such as environmental conditions and predation, which vary from year to year. DFO’s harvest management approach is designed to account for this variability and sets the total allowable catch each year in the Strait of Georgia by applying a target harvest rate of 20 per cent to the forecast of spawning biomass.  This is an annual process where abundance and stock status are updated with the most recent information to inform the forecast of spawning biomass for the coming season. The performance of this approach has been evaluated by DFO Science and subjected to scientific peer review. The approach is designed to be very likely to avoid spawning biomass levels below an established limit reference point.The harvest level for the 2019-20 Strait of Georgia roe herring fishery was set at 10,895 metric tonnes, which was 20 per cent of the forecasted spawning biomass. This harvest level is considered precautionary, as it leaves 80 per cent of mature herring and all juvenile herring to support population and ecosystem processes such as food for salmon and marine mammals. The 2019-20 overall harvest was reduced from previous years as a result of the lower biomass forecast and the application of the 20 percent target harvest rate and the fishery was successfully managed within the harvest level set for it.  This reduction in the allowable catch is consistent with the conservation goals of the management approach and provides opportunity for industry, including those First Nations that participate in the commercial fishery. The 2020 Stock Assessment information for herring in the Strait of Georgia was recently released and estimates that the spawning biomass increased in 2020 from 2019 levels and that the stock remains at a healthy level.The approach outlined above is detailed in the 2019-20 Pacific Herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan, which was developed following consultations with First Nations’ communities and organizations, and stakeholders such as commercial harvesters. The consultation process ensures that fishery management decisions are transparent, made with the best available science and informed by Indigenous, commercial harvester, and public considerations.
Fisheries and fishersHerringSalish Sea
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00248432-00248 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 19, 2020January 25, 2021October 30, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 16,364 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and March 2020.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction services and other necessary medications during the pandemic.For example, the Minister of Health has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to prescribed medications and to allow for flexibility during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada also issued a temporary class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. This exemption was extended to September 30, 2021, given the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally, Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs, in order for them to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical-grade medications like hydromorphone, as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) is providing $21.9 million in funding over four years to support 11 projects that provide a supply of pharmaceutical grade medications for people with opioid use disorder in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. This includes $16.1M for five multi–year pilot projects and $5.8M for six shorter-term initiatives funded in response to the risk posed by the worsening toxic illegal drug supply as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Health Canada is also working with community organizations funded through SUAP to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the British Columbia Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada is committed to a holistic, public health approach to addressing problematic substance use that is focused on reducing harms and saving lives, through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy. The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
While our government is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal drugs at this time, we will continue to work with civil society organizations to assess options that could better support the needs of people who use drugs, during this difficult time.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the contaminated illegal supply to eligible clients at risk of overdose; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewan to increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 million to implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
The Government of Canada is further supporting those who are most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic by investing $500 million towards health care, including support for Canadians experiencing challenges with substance use, mental health, or homelessness. This investment is part of the more than $19 billion invested through the Safe Restart Agreement to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and ensure Canadians have the support they need in these challenging times.In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 37 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on supporting a range of care models for people at risk of overdose and building the evidence base for innovative public health interventions. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021432-00213432-00213 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 4, 2020January 25, 2021February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 16,364 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and March 2020.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction services and other necessary medications during the pandemic.For example, the Minister of Health has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to prescribed medications and to allow for flexibility during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada also issued a temporary class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. This exemption was extended to September 30, 2021, given the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally, Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs, in order for them to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical-grade medications like hydromorphone, as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) is providing $21.9 million in funding over four years to support 11 projects that provide a supply of pharmaceutical grade medications for people with opioid use disorder in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. This includes $16.1M for five multi–year pilot projects and $5.8M for six shorter-term initiatives funded in response to the risk posed by the worsening toxic illegal drug supply as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Health Canada is also working with community organizations funded through SUAP to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the British Columbia Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada is committed to a holistic, public health approach to addressing problematic substance use that is focused on reducing harms and saving lives, through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy. The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
While our government is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal drugs at this time, we will continue to work with civil society organizations to assess options that could better support the needs of people who use drugs, during this difficult time.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the contaminated illegal supply to eligible clients at risk of overdose; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewan to increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 million to implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
The Government of Canada is further supporting those who are most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic by investing $500 million towards health care, including support for Canadians experiencing challenges with substance use, mental health, or homelessness. This investment is part of the more than $19 billion invested through the Safe Restart Agreement to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and ensure Canadians have the support they need in these challenging times.In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 37 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on supporting a range of care models for people at risk of overdose and building the evidence base for innovative public health interventions. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2020e-2675e-2675 (Fisheries)SonjaWoodGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 15, 2020, at 3:27 p.m. (EDT)July 15, 2020, at 3:27 p.m. (EDT)October 23, 2020December 7, 2020July 15, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard</Addressee>Whereas:The Windsor Causeway in Nova Scotia was constructed across the Avon River in 1968 with gates to manage water levels but without proper fish passage and, to this day it, impedes migrations of fishes, including the at Risk Inner Bay of Fundy Wild Atlantic Salmon and American Eel;The gates have been occasionally opened for the past 50+ years to control mainly water levels for Lake Pesquid, and more recently to facilitate improved fish passage during periods of high water levels;The first salmon in 50+ years, was caught last summer beyond the causeway in the upper reaches of the Avon River;The gates have never been opened to facilitate the annual runs of Wild Atlantic Salmon during their Summer and Fall spawning migrations, which has led to their extirpation in the Avon River; andThe Department of Fisheries and Oceans now expects improved efforts for the fish of this river.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to request the Province of Nova Scotia ensure the gates at the Windsor Causeway are kept open for an extended period of time, during every incoming and outgoing tide to allow a more natural method of fish passage during their seasonal migrations.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal has commenced construction to twin and upgrade parts of existing Highway 101 near Windsor in Hants County, Nova Scotia. Upgrading of the tidal gate and installing fish passage structures at the outlet to the Avon River will be part of Phase 2 the twinning project.In early November 2020, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) received a Fisheries Act request for project review with detailed design and operation for fish passage for the proposed replacement tidal gate. DFO will conduct a review under the Fisheries Act and Species at Risk Act including an evaluation of the effectiveness of fish passage for migratory species likely to use the Avon River, such as Atlantic Salmon, Gaspereau, and American Eel.In the meantime, DFO continues to work with the operator of the existing structure, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture (NSDA), to maximize fish passage within the limitations of the aging structure.In May 2020, DFO issued a Ministerial Order to NSDA improve fish passage during the spring migration, including requirements for additional monitoring of the existing tidal gates. Operating a structure that is at its end of life, while attempting to provide fish passage and maintain the primary purpose of flood control, represents challenges.DFO has been and remains involved in efforts to improve fish passage at the existing structure location, and we will continue consultations with the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia on any path forward to address fish migrations.
AquacultureAvon RiverCausewaysNova Scotia
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 19, 2020432-00070432-00070 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 6, 2020November 19, 2020June 16, 2020Petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • 2020 marks the second consecutive year that widespread restrictions on chinook retention around the Southern BC coast will negatively impact the recreational fishery and associated industries;
  • Residents of Vancouver Island and the Pacific Coast are already experiencing economic hardship from a lengthy labour dispute within the forestry industry;
  • There is already a mark-selective fishery in place for coho on the Southern BC coast;
  • The states of Washington and Oregon have instituted mass adipose-fin clipping at their hatcheries and a mark-selective fishery for chinook salmon to sustain wild stocks and opportunities in the recreational fisheries; and
  • Vancouver Island and the Pacific Coast's current chinook hatchery production is enough to implement a successful chinook mark-selective fishery in certain times and areas around the Southern BC coast.
THEREFORE, we call upon the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, to direct DFO to purchase and begin operations of adipose fin-clipping machinery for the existing production of chinook hatcheries in the Pacific Region; and, that these new hatchery-marked Chinook may be retained as soon as they reach minimum legal retention size.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to protecting and conserving salmon and salmon habitat for future generations. As part of fishery management measures announced to address declines of Fraser River Chinook, the Department has been engaging with First Nations, the Province of BC, and stakeholders to address a broad range of issues that are impacting Chinook stocks. As well, further consultation is also occurring with First Nations and stakeholders through the Department’s existing advisory processes. These issues include:•   conservation issues, including land and water use issues;•   fish habitat issues;•   the role of hatcheries to support rebuilding and the potential for marked fisheries; and,•   how seals and sea lions may be affecting Chinook salmon.The Department expects to evaluate recommendations and advice through open and transparent consideration of potential benefits/costs for a range of indicators (e.g., conservation, obligations to First Nations, feasibility/program costs, economic outcomes, etc.). The evaluation and indicators will be discussed with First Nations and stakeholders. Part of this work is expected to assess alternative fisheries management and enhancement approaches, including mark selective fisheries for conservation of Chinook.Regarding the marking of hatchery origin Chinook and mark selective fisheries designed to target harvest on hatchery origin Chinook with adipose fin clips, there are a range of considerations to be evaluated before a decision is made to proceed with marking of all hatchery origin Chinook production.Canada and the United States (US) have committed to maintain the integrity of the Coded-Wire Tag (CWT) indicator program for Chinook salmon to support the coast wide Chinook fishery, stock assessment, and international harvest sharing agreements. The program involves tagging juvenile salmon and sampling and recovering CWTs along the west coast of North America with data sharing among all agencies. In Canada, the adipose fin clip (i.e., marked) of Chinook salmon is reserved for hatchery fish implanted with a CWT as part of the Government of Canada’s Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) obligations. These tagged and marked fish are considered to be representative of harvest effects on unmarked wild fish. Because of this approach, implementing mark selective fisheries and associated adipose fin clipping of all hatchery Chinook including those without a CWT (i.e., mass marking) presents analytical, management, and resource challenges to ensure that Canada continues to deliver on its commitments under the PST.Work is currently underway to evaluate the utility of Chinook mark selective fisheries as a conservation action to enable a harvest opportunity on marked hatchery fish while minimizing fishing mortality on wild stocks and maintaining reliable stock assessment information. Though mark selective fisheries are meant to allow harvest of relatively abundance hatchery fish, all selective fisheries have an associated mortality on unmarked (wild) fish and in cases where a mark selective fishery is not properly designed, implemented and monitored, this mortality can exceed that of a non-selective fishery. The Department is also conducting a pilot project to mass mark (adipose fin clip) Conuma Hatchery Chinook in conjunction with genetic-based tagging to establish whether genetic techniques, combined with enhanced catch monitoring, will provide the assessment information currently derived from the CWT indicator stock program and determine whether this approach mitigates the impacts of mark selective fisheries.With respect to the Department purchasing adipose fin-clipping machinery, this capacity building is underway. DFO has received delivery of an Autofish automated clipping and tagging trailer from Northwest Marine Technologies in Washington State, and a second Autofish trailer is expected to be delivered in spring 2021. This machinery will build significantly on DFO’s Salmonid Enhancement Program, partners, and contractors existing capacity to adipose fin clip hatchery produced juvenile fish. The current utilization priority of the Autofish trailers is for PST CWT purposes, but they provide additional flexibility to increase adipose fin clipping should a decision be made to expand the implementation of mark selective fisheries.The Department continues to implement fishery management measures to provide a high degree of protection to Chinook stocks of conservation concern. While conservation is the highest priority in management of these populations, the Department is continuing to expand pilot opportunities for mark selective fishery retention in areas off major migratory corridors for at risk Chinook in 2020 to maintain fishing opportunities. Further consultation is planned as part of the post-season meetings in the fall of 2020 to support decision making on potential additional marked selective fisheries opportunities supported by additional mass marking of hatchery Chinook in the coming years.
AquacultureBritish ColumbiaChinook salmonHunting and sport fishing
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 16, 2020432-00054432-00054 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 2, 2020November 16, 2020February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 16,364 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and March 2020.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction services and other necessary medications during the pandemic.For example, the Minister of Health has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to prescribed medications and to allow for flexibility during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada also issued a temporary class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. This exemption was extended to September 30, 2021, given the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally, Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs, in order for them to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical-grade medications like hydromorphone, as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) is providing $21.9 million in funding over four years to support 11 projects that provide a supply of pharmaceutical grade medications for people with opioid use disorder in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. This includes $16.1M for five multi–year pilot projects and $5.8M for six shorter-term initiatives funded in response to the risk posed by the worsening toxic illegal drug supply as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Health Canada is also working with community organizations funded through SUAP to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the British Columbia Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada is committed to a holistic, public health approach to addressing problematic substance use that is focused on reducing harms and saving lives, through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy. The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
While our government is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal drugs at this time, we will continue to work with civil society organizations to assess options that could better support the needs of people who use drugs, during this difficult time.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the contaminated illegal supply to eligible clients at risk of overdose; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewan to increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 million to implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
The Government of Canada is further supporting those who are most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic by investing $500 million towards health care, including support for Canadians experiencing challenges with substance use, mental health, or homelessness. This investment is part of the more than $19 billion invested through the Safe Restart Agreement to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and ensure Canadians have the support they need in these challenging times.In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 37 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on supporting a range of care models for people at risk of overdose and building the evidence base for innovative public health interventions. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 16, 2020432-00022432-00022 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 28, 2020November 16, 2020February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 16,364 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and March 2020.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction services and other necessary medications during the pandemic.For example, the Minister of Health has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to prescribed medications and to allow for flexibility during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada also issued a temporary class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. This exemption was extended to September 30, 2021, given the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally, Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical-grade medications like hydromorphone, as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) is providing $21.9 million in funding over four years to support 11 projects that provide a supply of pharmaceutical grade medications for people with opioid use disorder in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. This includes $16.1M for five multi–year pilot projects and $5.8M for six shorter-term initiatives funded in response to the risk posed by the worsening toxic illegal drug supply as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Health Canada is also working with community organizations funded through SUAP to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the British Columbia Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada is committed to a holistic, public health approach to addressing problematic substance use that is focused on reducing harms and saving lives, through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy. The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
While our government is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal drugs at this time, we will continue to work with civil society organizations to assess options that could better support the needs of people who use drugs, during this difficult time.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the contaminated illegal supply to eligible clients at risk of overdose; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewan to increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 million to implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
The Government of Canada is further supporting those who are most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic by investing $500 million towards health care, including support for Canadians experiencing challenges with substance use, mental health, or homelessness. This investment is part of the more than $19 billion invested through the Safe Restart Agreement to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and ensure Canadians have the support they need in these challenging times.In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 37 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on supporting a range of care models for people at risk of overdose and building the evidence base for innovative public health interventions. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 16, 2020432-00013432-00013 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 25, 2020November 16, 2020March 23, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • THAT the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that the Pacific herring population dropped by approximately 1/3 between 2016 and 2019, and will drop by more than 50% by 2020;
  • THAT the unexpected drop in the herring population has led to overfishing of existing stock;
  • THAT Pacific herring is the basis of the food web that supports salmon, killer and humpback whales, cod and halibut, seabirds and other independent species on the Pacific coast;
  • THAT First Nations have constitutionally protected rights to herring which are an important food source and an integral part of First Nation cultures.
THEREFORE, we the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to suspend the 2020 Salish Sea herring fishery until a whole ecosystem plan is developed, to fairly compensate local fishers for economic losses, and to ensure that decisions are made with the full participation of First Nations and local communities.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to effectively managing Pacific herring fisheries through evidence-based decisions, ensuring the health and sustainability of these stocks into the future. We share your view that Pacific herring is an important source of food for many species on the Pacific coast and recognize that herring is an integral part of Frist Nations’ culture and that First Nations have priority access to herring for food, social, and ceremonial purposes, after conservation.Pacific herring are a forage fish species and as such, have large fluctuations in abundance, so a decline in biomass is not unexpected. Biomass forecasts are highly uncertain due to factors such as environmental conditions and predation, which vary from year to year. DFO’s harvest management approach is designed to account for this variability. The performance of this approach has been evaluated by DFO Science and subjected to scientific peer review. The approach is designed to be very likely to avoid spawning biomass levels below an established limit reference point.The harvest level for the 2019-20 Strait of Georgia herring fishery was set at 10,895 metric tonnes, which was 20 per cent of the forecasted spawning biomass. This harvest level is considered precautionary, as it leaves 80 per cent of mature herring and all juvenile herring to support population and ecosystem processes such as food for salmon and marine mammals. The 2019-20 harvest level was reduced from previous years as a result of the lower biomass forecast.  This reduction in the allowable catch is consistent with the conservation goals of the management approach and provides opportunity for industry, including those First Nations that participate in the commercial fishery. The approach outlined above is detailed in the 2019-20 Pacific Herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan, which was developed following consultations with First Nations’ communities and organizations, and stakeholders such as commercial harvesters. The consultation process ensures that fishery management decisions are transparent, made with the best available science and informed by Indigenous, commercial harvester, and public considerations.The 2020 Stock Assessment information for herring in the Strait of Georgia was recently released and estimates that the spawning biomass increased in 2020 from 2019 levels and that the stock remains at a healthy level.
Fisheries and fishersHerringSalish Sea
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 16, 2020432-00006432-00006 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 24, 2020November 16, 2020February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 16,364 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and March 2020.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction services and other necessary medications during the pandemic.For example, the Minister of Health has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to prescribed medications and to allow for flexibility during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada also issued a temporary class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. This exemption was extended to September 30, 2021, given the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally, Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs, in order for them to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical-grade medications like hydromorphone, as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) is providing $21.9 million in funding over four years to support 11 projects that provide a supply of pharmaceutical grade medications for people with opioid use disorder in British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. This includes $16.1M for five multi–year pilot projects and $5.8M for six shorter-term initiatives funded in response to the risk posed by the worsening toxic illegal drug supply as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Health Canada is also working with community organizations funded through SUAP to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the British Columbia Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada is committed to a holistic, public health approach to addressing problematic substance use that is focused on reducing harms and saving lives, through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy. The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
While our government is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal drugs at this time, we will continue to work with civil society organizations to assess options that could better support the needs of people who use drugs, during this difficult time.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the contaminated illegal supply to eligible clients at risk of overdose; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewan to increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 million to implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
The Government of Canada is further supporting those who are most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic by investing $500 million towards health care, including support for Canadians experiencing challenges with substance use, mental health, or homelessness. This investment is part of the more than $19 billion invested through the Safe Restart Agreement to help provinces and territories safely restart their economies and ensure Canadians have the support they need in these challenging times.In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 37 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on supporting a range of care models for people at risk of overdose and building the evidence base for innovative public health interventions. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 24, 2020e-2577e-2577 (Social affairs and equality)ChrisAlemanyGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 7, 2020, at 10:49 a.m. (EDT)June 6, 2020, at 10:49 a.m. (EDT)June 10, 2020September 24, 2020June 8, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:The unequal patchwork of insurance, support, and welfare systems across Canada represent a barrier to the constitutional right of Canadians to live and seek work anywhere in the country;The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a more robust and all-inclusive support structure for all Canadians in both normal times and in crisis situations; andA universal basic income has been tested successfully in multiple jurisdictions in Canada and around the world with positive economic and social impacts.We, the undersigned, people of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to work urgently across party lines and in partnership with provincial and territorial governments to overhaul our employment and welfare systems and implement a guaranteed, consistent, national, and livable universal basic income system for all Canadians in all parts of Canada.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability InclusionSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): IREK KUSMIERCZYKThe Government of Canada continually undertakes research and analysis on a range of policies and programs that could positively impact Canada’s economy and society as part of its efforts to ensure that all Canadians have a real and fair opportunity to succeed.It is important to acknowledge that income security is a shared jurisdiction across different levels of government. As such, the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of working with provinces and territories to find solutions to common challenges.The Government of Canada already has programs with many of the features of a basic income, such as the Canada Child Benefit for families with children, the Old Age Security program and the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. In addition, existing programs such as the Canada Workers Benefit and Employment Insurance (EI) provide income supports for low-income individuals with labour market attachment or those with insurable employment. These programs exist alongside provincial and territorial social assistance programs.That being said, the Government is aware of views regarding the existing EI benefits and leave system and that the changing nature of work presents challenges in providing support to all Canadians in their unique circumstances.In response to COVID-19, the Government has invested billions in targeted income support to individuals, business, key sectors, and community organizations on the frontlines of serving Canadians. In addition to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit which is providing $500 per week to eligible individuals impacted by the forced shutdown of the economy, the Government of Canada has taken several measures to help Canadians facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak such as supports for families with children and lower income individuals.To provide further support for Canadian families facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government provided a one-time enhancement of $300 per child for families currently receiving the Canada Child Benefit as part of the May 2020 payment. The overall increase for families receiving the child benefit was around $550 on average.To respond to the economic hardship experienced by Canadians due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in April, 2020, the Government also provided direct financial support to low- and modest-income individuals and families through a special Goods and Services/Harmonized Sales Tax Credit top-up payment. This payment effectively doubled benefit amounts for the 2019-20 benefit year and delivered the additional support in one lump-sum payment. The average additional benefit is close to $400 for single individuals and close to $600 for couples. There was no need to apply for this payment. All individuals who were eligible received the payment.As we continue to move towards economic recovery, the Government of Canada is continuing to explore a variety of potential shorter and longer-term policy responses that could address the ongoing needs of Canadians.   
Guaranteed annual income
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 24, 2020e-2342e-2342 (Fisheries)CatherineGrayGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCDecember 13, 2019, at 10:27 a.m. (EDT)March 12, 2020, at 10:27 a.m. (EDT)June 17, 2020September 24, 2020March 12, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that the Pacific herring population dropped by approximately 1/3 between 2016 and 2019, and will drop by more than 50% by 2020;The unexpected drop in the herring population has led to overfishing of existing stock;Pacific herring is the basis of the food web that supports salmon, killer and humpback whales, cod and halibut, seabirds and other independent species on the Pacific Coast; andFirst Nations have constitutionally protected rights to herring which are an important food source and an integral part of First Nations cultures.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Suspend the 2020 Salish Sea herring fishery until a whole ecosystem plan is developed;2. Fairly compensate fishers for economic losses; and 3. Ensure that decisions are made with the full participation of First Nations and local communities.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to effectively managing Pacific herring fisheries through evidence-based decisions, ensuring the health and sustainability of these stocks into the future. We share your view that Pacific herring is an important source of food for many species on the Pacific coast and recognize that herring is an integral part of First Nations’ culture and that First Nations have priority access to herring for food, social, and ceremonial purposes, after conservation.Pacific herring are a forage fish species and as such, have large fluctuations in abundance, so a decline in biomass is not unexpected. Biomass forecasts are highly uncertain due to factors such as environmental conditions and predation, which vary from year to year. Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) harvest management approach is designed to account for this variability. The performance of this approach has been evaluated by DFO Science and subjected to scientific peer review through a process involving consultation between First Nations, fishery managers, scientists and industry stakeholders. The approach is designed to be very likely to avoid spawning biomass levels below an established limit reference point.Since the 2019-20 stock assessment shows that herring biomass in the Strait of Georgia is well above the limit reference point, the harvest level for the 2019-20 Strait of Georgia herring fishery was set at 10,895 metric tonnes, which was 20 per cent of the forecasted spawning biomass. This harvest level is considered precautionary, as it leaves 80 per cent of mature herring and all juvenile herring to support population and ecosystem processes such as food for salmon and marine mammals. The 2019-20 harvest level was reduced from previous years as a result of the lower biomass forecast.  This reduced allowable catch is consistent with the conservation goals of the management approach and provides opportunity for industry, including those First Nations that participate in the commercial fishery.The approach outlined above is detailed in the 2019-20 Pacific Herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan, which was developed following consultations with First Nations’ communities and organizations, and stakeholders such as commercial harvesters. The consultation process ensures that fishery management decisions are transparent, made with the best available science and informed by Indigenous, commercial harvester, and public considerations.
Fisheries and fishersHerringSalish Sea
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 24, 2020431-00290431-00290 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 18, 2020September 24, 2020June 15, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of the Province of British Columbia, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following: Whereas: The cost of prescription medications and necessary medical supplies in Canada is excessive and varies greatly between provinces and territories; The cost of prescription medications and medical supplies are continuing to rise significantly every year; many Canadians cannot afford to purchase their prescription medications and/or medical supplies or have to choose between purchasing prescription medications and medical supplies or providing for food and shelter. Therefore, your petitioners request the Government of Canada to develop a comprehensive pan-Canada single payer and universal Pharmacare program that ensures that all Canadians can access medically prescribed and necessary medications and supplies regardless of their ability to pay.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherWe are committed to strengthening Canada’s health care system and to supporting the health of Canadians. No Canadian should have to choose between paying for prescription drugs and putting food on the table, yet many are still forced to make this impossible decision.That is why we are committed to working with provinces, territories and stakeholders to continue to implement national universal pharmacare so that Canadians have the drug coverage they need. As part of Budget 2019, the Government of Canada announced the next critical steps towards the implementation of national pharmacare. This includes the establishment of a Canada Drug Agency, a national formulary and a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.Additionally, as a foundational step towards national pharmacare, the Government of Canada recently modernized the way patented drug prices are regulated in Canada by amending the Patented Medicines Regulations. Implementation of this modernized regulatory framework will enable the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board to better protect Canadian consumers from excessive prices of patented medicines. These amendments are expected to lower drug prices in Canada, which are approximately 25% higher than international peers, and save Canadians $13.2 billion over the next 10 years. The amendments were published in Canada Gazette, Part II on August 21, 2019 and are available at:  http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2019/2019-08-21/html/sor-dors298-eng.html         The federal government is also working with the provinces and territories as an active member of the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA). The pCPA combines governments’ collective buying power to negotiate lower prices on brand name drugs for all public plans, and sets the price point for many generic drugs. The pCPA has completed more than 369 joint brand drug negotiations and achieved price reductions on nearly 70 of the most commonly prescribed generic drugs. As of April 1, 2019, the pCPA was estimated to have achieved approximately $2.26 billion in annual cost savings for public drug plans.Through these actions, we continue to work with provincial and territorial governments and other key partners to improve the affordability and accessibility of needed prescription drugs.
Health care systemPharmacarePharmaceuticals
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 20, 2020431-00229431-00229 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 3, 2020July 20, 2020February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 14,700 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and September 2019.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction and other substances during the pandemic.Health Canada has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to opioid agonist treatment medication and to allow for special accommodations during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada issued a class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical grade medications like hydromorphone as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada is working with community organizations funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the BC Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada remains committed to taking a public health approach to substance use through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy during this difficult time and over the long term.  The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
The Government of Canada recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical hydromorphone to eligible patients with opioid use disorder in British Columbia; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewanto increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 millionsto implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 39 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on a safer supply and building the evidence base for this public health intervention. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. The federal government has taken steps towards increasing access to pharmaceutical-grade medications, including making prescription opioids used in the treatment of severe opioid disorder more easily accessible to healthcare practitioners, reducing regulatory barriers, and funding national clinical guidelines for the management of opioid use disorders.Certain programs, sometimes referred to as “safer supply”, build on these established models in an attempt to reach a wider range of people at risk of overdose and create additional pathways to health and social services. The federal government is supporting pilot projects to increase access to pharmaceutical-grade medications as a safer alternative to the contaminated illegal drug supply. As part of its approach, the federal government is also supporting a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot projects to develop valuable evidence on effective service models and help develop best practices.To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 20, 2020431-00209431-00209 (Environment)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 21, 2020July 20, 2020February 5, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS, Climate change has escalated into a global climate emergency; the world is on pace to warm nearly 4 degrees Celsius by 2100 and extreme weather events are growing with increasingly severe impacts, including floods, forest fires, rising temperatures, killer heat-waves, massive storms, sea level rise and disruption to marine and land ecosystems;WHEREAS, in order to act to avert further catastrophic climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) states that the scientific consensus is that we need to immediately move to reduce net human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to 45 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050;WHEREAS, Canada must address this climatic emergency with the ambition and urgency required, on behalf of present and future generations;WHEREAS, Canadians are living through unprecedented, catastrophic climate events and at the same time, our society is suffering from worsening socio-economic inequalities, with almost half of Canada's population reporting they are $200 away from insolvency at the end of each month;WHEREAS, climate change impacts threaten physical & mental health (particularly young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities), surrounding environments by affecting the food we eat, the world's water supply, the air we breathe, the weather we experience, and how well local communities can adapt to climate change;WHEREAS, the impacts of climate emergency are far more severe for those living through the immediate consequences of climate change; Indigenous Peoples, frontline and vulnerable communities, like people seeking refugee status or asylum and those displaced by climate change, are disproportionality affected, resulting in the increased risks to their health;WHEREAS, it has never been more urgent that Canada reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy to meet the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, while ensuring that all Indigenous Peoples and Canadians benefit from the substantial public investments a low-carbon economy requires, like energy efficiency retrofits, affordable housing, renewable energy, infrastructure, public transit, pharmacare, dental care, childcare and eliminating student debt and tuition fees;WHEREAS, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the recognition of inherent rights, title and treaty rights, while fully implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), must be at the heart of Canada's approach to addressing the climate emergency;THEREFORE, your petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion M-1, a made-in-Canada Green New Deal, the first initiative before the House of Commons, which calls on Canada to take bold & rapid action to adopt socially equitable climate action to tackle the climate emergency and address worsening socio-economic & racial inequalities at the same time; while ending fossil fuel subsidies, closing offshore tax havens, and supporting workers impacted by the transition and creating well-paying, unionized jobs in the shift to a clean and renewable energy economy.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable JONATHAN WILKINSONTo contribute to the achievement of the Paris Agreement, and in pursuit of efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the Government of Canada is committed to exceed Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below 2005 levels and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Canada’s climate plan, the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, adopted on December 9, 2016, is a comprehensive plan which includes both individual and joint federal, provincial and territorial climate actions to reduce emissions, accelerate clean economic growth, and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. This plan was developed in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous Peoples, businesses, civil society and Canadians across the country.The Pan-Canadian Framework outlines over 50 concrete measures to reduce carbon pollution, help us adapt and become more resilient to the impacts of a changing climate, foster clean technology solutions, and create good jobs that contribute to a stronger economy. Key measures include:
  • Regulating methane emissions in the oil and gas sector, which will reduce carbon pollution by about 16.5 million tonnes in 2030;
  • Accelerating the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation by 2030, as part of our efforts to have 90% of electricity from non-emitting sources, and supporting workers and communities transition to a low-carbon economy;
  • Developing “net-zero energy ready” building codes to be adopted by 2030 for new buildings;
  • Establishing mandatory labeling of building energy use to provide businesses and consumers with information on energy performance, and setting new standards to improve the energy efficiency of appliances and equipment;
  • Increasing the stringency of emissions standards for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, and taking steps to improve efficiency and support fuel switching in the rail, aviation, marine and off-road sectors;
  • Adopting a Climate Lens to ensure that future climate impacts are considered and addressed in all federally funded infrastructure projects; and,
  • Establishing a new Canadian Centre for Climate Services, giving Canadians better access to climate science and information.
The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of tackling climate change while growing the economy as a means of creating jobs and ensuring competitiveness. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has committed about $60 billion to reduce emissions, adapt to a changing climate, and support clean technology innovation and the transition to a clean growth economy. Commitments include:
  • More than $28 billion to support public transit, including over 1,211 transit projects approved;
  • $26.9 billion to support green infrastructure, including support for renewable energy, electric vehicle charging, natural gas and hydrogen refuelling stations, clean energy in rural and remote communities, and climate adaptation and resiliency initiatives (e.g., flood mitigation under the $2-billion Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund);
  • $3 billion to support the development, adoption and scale-up of clean technologies;
  • Over $2 billion to help cities and towns adapt to and manage the impacts of climate change, delivered through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (e.g., $75 million for the Municipal Climate Innovation Program, $50 million for the Municipal Asset Management Program, and over $1 billion in support for building energy efficiency investments);
  • $2 billion to generate clean growth and reduce carbon pollution from buildings, industries, forestry, and agriculture, by leveraging investment in projects through the Low Carbon Economy Fund;
  • The $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan, to improve marine safety and responsible shipping;
  • $1.3 billion for nature conservation;
  • $300 million to provide Canadian drivers and businesses with purchase incentives for zero-emission vehicles;
  • Over $64 million to help rural, remote and Indigenous communities transition off diesel fuel;
  • $108 million to establish the Canadian Centre for Climate Services, which is improving access to trusted, useful and timely climate information and data to support adaptation decision-making; and
  • Over $100 million in targeted federal funding to support specific economic sectors (such as transportation, agriculture, and health) and communities, including Indigenous and Northern communities (e.g., $52 million for the First Nations Adapt Program and $47 million for Climate Change Preparedness in the North).
To support the participation of youth in the clean growth economy, in August 2017, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced that it would invest more than $14 million to support almost 1,000 green jobs for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates across the country through the Science Horizons Youth Internship Program. Similarly, Natural Resources Canada announced that it is investing more than $16 million to create 1,200 green STEM jobs for Canadian youth in the natural resources sector, via the Green Jobs - Science and Technology Internship Program. The abovementioned funding is part of Budget 2017’s additional $395.5 million investment over three years, starting in 2017-2018, for the Youth Employment Strategy, in which 11 federal departments committed to providing opportunities for Canada’s youth.Canada’s climate plan is working. Canada’s 2019 GHG emissions projections show a widespread decline in projected emissions across the economy, reflecting the breadth and depth of the Pan-Canadian Framework. In fact, the policies and measures now in place, including those introduced in 2019, are projected to reduce emissions by 227 million tonnes in 2030, the greatest drop in Canadian history. However, the Government of Canada recognizes that more action is needed. This is why the Government will be implementing new climate measures including:
  • Setting legally-binding, five-year emissions reduction milestones based on the advice of experts and consultations with Canadians;
  • Appointing a group of scientists, economists and experts to recommend pathways to net-zero;
  • Working with businesses to make Canada the best place to start and grow clean technology companies;
  • Completing all flood maps in Canada;
  • Planting two billion incremental trees over the next 10 years as part of a broader commitment to nature-based solutions that also encompasses wetlands and urban forests; and
  • Introducing a new ambitious plan to conserve 25 per cent of Canada’s land and 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025, working toward 30 per cent of each by 2030. This plan will be grounded in science, Indigenous knowledge and local perspectives.
The Government of Canada recognizes that Indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable populations to a rapidly changing environment and is committed to renewing the relationship between the Government of Canada and First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis Nation on a nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown, and government-to-government basis. This includes collaborating with Indigenous partners on climate change action through structured, collaborative approaches, based on robust, ongoing and meaningful engagement based on recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership, consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and informed consent.In taking action on climate change and in moving forward on the implementation of Canada’s climate plan, the Prime Minister issued joint statements with each of the National Chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations, the President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the President of the Métis National Council. These joint statements committed to establishing three senior bilateral distinctions-based tables between the Government of Canada and First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis Nation. These partnerships seek to ensure that Indigenous Peoples are full and effective partners in advancing clean growth and achieving climate change goals to mitigate and reduce emissions as a necessary precursor to the mitigation of climate impacts.The Government of Canada understands the importance of limiting temperature increases to as little as possible, and that Canada must do its part. That is why Minister Wilkinson supports the goal of the Paris Agreement to ensure that global average temperature rise does not exceed 2°C, and to pursue efforts to limit temperature rise to below 1.5°C. The Pan-Canadian Framework was established to reduce Canada’s GHG emissions in line with these goals and our commitments under the Paris Agreement. The Government of Canada is committed to implementing all of the measures in our climate action plan and we’re making good progress in doing so, as described in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change annual report (https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/pan-canadian-framework.html  
Climate change and global warmingGreen economyM-1
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 20, 2020431-00194431-00194 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 14, 2020July 20, 2020March 10, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • In May 2019 the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans provided 20 recommendations to government for changing its current management of commercial fisheries in British Columbia; and
  • After consultations with independent fish harvesters, community organizations, industry, and academics, the report identified need for transparent fishing license and quota ownership as it is not currently known where the benefits of our fish resources are truly flowing; and
  • Among its recommendations, the Standing Committee called for the set-up of a public online database to track the buyers, sellers and sale/lease prices, as well as an end to the sale of fishing quotas and licenses to non-Canadian interests.
THEREFORE, we call upon the Government of Canada to commit to a timeline and a plan that respects and addresses the 20 recommendations laid out in the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans entitled "West Coast Fisheries: Sharing Risks and Benefits".
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanOn March 11, 2020, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) re-tabled their report entitled “West Coast Fisheries: Sharing Risks and Benefits” in the current session. While the tabling of the Government Response during the previous session was affected by the timing of the 2019 Federal election, Fisheries and Oceans Canada values FOPO’s hard work and dedication to highlighting ways to make our fisheries more environmentally and economically sustainable for present and future generations of Canadians. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Government of Canada will provide a response to the report within 120 days of tabling.  
Pacific fisheries
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 20, 2020e-2512e-2512 (Fisheries)LaurieScottGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCApril 6, 2020, at 10:29 a.m. (EDT)May 6, 2020, at 10:29 a.m. (EDT)May 12, 2020July 20, 2020May 7, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="253373" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Province of Nova Scotia has invited multinational companies to scope out and develop expansive open net pen salmon farming operations (Industrial Feedlots) in Coastal Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy;This expansion will result in environmental degradation as seen in similar aquaculture operations in British Columbia, Newfoundland, Norway, Vietnam and elsewhere in the world;It will pose risks to native fish stocks, pollute coastal ecosystems, imperil ‘at risk’ wild Atlantic salmon and threaten established fisheries and tourism operations.Open pen fish farming will not create significant employment and will undermine existing lobster and other coastal fisheries;These industries employ thousands of Nova Scotians and are valued at over $1 billion annually;Their income and success stays in our province and is not funneled out of the country by foreign owned companies; andConcerns include that the health of protected wild salmon will be imperiled by farmed salmon, the environmental degradation of the benthic environment from antibiotics, pesticides and feces, increased hazard to navigation and risk of marine entanglement, damage to our Nova Scotia brand, and loss of revenue in housing tax base with industrialization of pristine coastline.We, the undersigned, residents of Nova Scotia and Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Uphold Bill C-68 and the ¨species at risk¨ legislation, and protect our oceans;2. Ban expansion of open net fin fish aquaculture in our oceans and work to phase out any existing open net operations currently in place; and3. Invest in land based, closed containment fin fish aquaculture.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanAquaculture is the fastest growing food production activity in the world, and a growing sector in Canada. In 2015, the aquaculture industry generated over $1 billion in gross domestic product, generating close to $3 billion in total economic activity. The Canadian aquaculture sector is a key employer in many coastal/rural/remote communities. Often, other employment opportunities in these communities are limited. More than 40 Indigenous communities operate directly, or are involved indirectly, with many farmed seafood facilities in Canada. Nova Scotia is the fifth largest employer in the Canadian aquaculture sector and offers the fourth highest annual average income. The province farmed approximately 10,118 tonnes of seafood in 2018 (mainly salmon and mussels) valued at over $88.6 million.The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring aquaculture activities are undertaken in a manner that is environmentally responsible, sustainable, and protects wild salmon and other key fish stocks along Canada’s coasts. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) works closely with Indigenous peoples, provincial and territorial partners, stakeholders, and industry to create and maintain an effective and responsible regulatory framework for aquaculture in Canada.Scientific excellence is fundamental to DFO and the mandate entrusted to it by Canadians. It supports the Department’s regulatory functions, decision-making, enforcement of the Oceans Act and Fisheries Act, national leadership on oceans and aquatic ecosystems, and much more. Scientific evidence informs management decisions that ensure an environmentally sustainable aquaculture industry. Aquaculture in Canada is jointly managed among federal, provincial, and territorial governments and its activities are regulated under a number of acts, regulations, and programs related to environmental management and shared use of aquatic resources. DFO is the principal regulator in British Columbia (B.C.) and co-manages aquaculture in Prince Edward Island with the provincial government. In all other province, including Nova Scotia, the provincial governments are the lead regulators of aquaculture management and development and are responsible for leasing and licencing aquaculture activities.The Government is committed to ensuring the conservation and protection of Canada’s marine and freshwater ecosystems. As you are aware, the modernized Fisheries Act restores protections, and enhances protection of the marine environment and habitat restoration. The modernized Act includes protection for all fish and fish habitat, and the restoration of the previous prohibition against “harmful alteration, disruption, or destruction of fish habitat”. Under subsection 34.1(1) of the Act, the Minister must consider a number of factors before recommending regulations or exercising powers related to authorization, permits, and orders. These include the contribution to the productivity of relevant fisheries, fisheries management objectives, cumulative effects, fish habitat banks, prioritizing habitat restoration, and Indigenous knowledge provided to the Minister.DFO’s Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program is working to develop policy and guidance to implement these requirements, as well as a number of other tools to help address risks to the aquatic environment. DFO hopes to be in a position to engage Indigenous groups, stakeholders, partners, and Canadians more broadly in their development as soon as possible once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and the Department can resume external engagement and consultations.To deliver on its promise to implement the modernized Fisheries Act, the Government has invested $284 million over five years, which includes the $50 million Indigenous Habitat Participation Program (IHPP), providing grants and contributions funding to Indigenous communities to allow them to participate in the conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat.These are just some of the regulations, measures, and decisions which are informed by scientific evidence, that are in place to maintain healthy and sustainable aquatic ecosystems to support environmentally, economically, and socially strong fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Canada.The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard has been mandated by the Prime Minister to work with the Province of B.C. and Indigenous communities to create a responsible way forward by 2025 to transition open net-pen aquaculture in B.C. Close collaboration with the Province and Indigenous communities will be critical in ensuring that the path forward is workable, economically feasible, and considers social aspects.The analysis to inform the path forward will build upon existing efforts, such as the State of Salmon Aquaculture Technologies study, which was commissioned by DFO, Sustainable Development and Technology Canada, and the Province of B.C. in 2019. Additionally, as announced on June 4, 2019, DFO’s Indigenous and multi-stakeholder advisory body’s alternative production technologies technical working group will make recommendations, which are expected shortly, for next steps on how to encourage the development and implementation of emerging technologies, such as land-based closed containment. DFO is also expecting recommendations from the two other working groups – the marine finfish and land-based fish health and area based management technical working groups. Departmental officials will build upon this work to inform the creation of a responsible plan for B.C. The path forward will include consultations and engagements with the public, environmental organizations, industry, and our provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners to ensure that aquaculture is done in the most environmentally sustainable and economically viable way that strives to maximize benefit for Canadians and Canadian businesses while minimizing environmental impacts.     
AquacultureEndangered species
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 20, 2020431-00170431-00170 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 5, 2020July 20, 2020January 31, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were more than 14,700 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and September 2019.The Government recognizes that the complexity of this crisis has only increased due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Public health guidance around physical distancing and self-isolation presents a unique challenge for people with substance use disorder. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces and territories and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience, to help make sure that people who use(d) substances can continue to access treatment, harm reduction and other substances during the pandemic.Health Canada has asked provinces and territories and regulatory colleges to improve access to opioid agonist treatment medication and to allow for special accommodations during the pandemic response that reduce or remove requirements that may not align with public health direction during the pandemic. This could include take-home dosing, and the removal of the requirement for witnessed ingestion, doctors’ visits and urine screening.Health Canada issued a class exemption to allow pharmacists to extend and renew prescriptions, to transfer prescriptions to other pharmacists, and to allow other individuals to deliver controlled substances to patients, and ensure continuity in access to pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment and management of other health conditions such as chronic pain. To allow patients with chronic medical needs to adhere to physical distancing and self-isolation guidance, Health Canada has allowed prescribers to issue verbal prescriptions for narcotics. Health Canada has developed and disseminated a toolkit to service providers to better support people who use drugs to physically distance and self-isolate and stay safe. The toolkit provides a summary of the exemptions now in place for health care professionals to facilitate flexible models of care during the pandemic. It includes prescribing and practice guidelines for health care professionals to increase the appropriate prescription of medications to address symptoms of withdrawal, including methadone, Suboxone, and to provide access to pharmaceutical grade medications like hydromorphone as a safer alternative to the toxic street supply. It will also assist people who use drugs, harm reduction advocacy groups and families who support people who use drugs to understand the changes and exemptions in order to secure medications and treatment supports, as well as educate on harm reduction measures.Health Canada is working with community organizations funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) to re-direct resources from funded activities to support the COVID-19 response. For example, the BC Ministry of Health will use a portion of its SUAP funding to provide personal protective equipment to pharmacists providing injectable opioid agonist treatment and the University of Victoria will use a portion of its funding to purchase basic needs and supplies (such as food) for clients at select front-line harm reduction sites.The Government of Canada remains committed to taking a public health approach to substance use through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy during this difficult time and over the long term.  The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
The Government of Canada recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • approving the use of injectable hydromorphone by qualified healthcare professionals as a treatment for adults with severe opioid use disorder – the first approval of injectable hydromorphone for this purpose in the world;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical hydromorphone to eligible patients with opioid use disorder in British Columbia; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $1.7 million to the University of Saskatchewanto increase access to chronic pain services, and providing $1.2 millionsto implement and evaluate pathways to care for people living with pain and opioid use disorder, both funded through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 39 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on a safer supply and building the evidence base for this public health intervention. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. The federal government has taken steps towards increasing access to pharmaceutical-grade medications, including making prescription opioids used in the treatment of severe opioid disorder more easily accessible to healthcare practitioners, reducing regulatory barriers, and funding national clinical guidelines for the management of opioid use disorders.Certain programs, sometimes referred to as “safer supply”, build on these established models in an attempt to reach a wider range of people at risk of overdose and create additional pathways to health and social services. The federal government is supporting pilot projects to increase access to pharmaceutical-grade medications as a safer alternative to the contaminated illegal drug supply. As part of its approach, the federal government is also supporting a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot projects to develop valuable evidence on effective service models and help develop best practices.To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified health care provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.Some provinces, including British Columbia and Alberta, have declared a formal public health emergency or crisis to address the overdose crisis. Under their respective provincial legislation, these declarations can provide access to additional powers and authorities, such as new funding, and streamlined decision-making. At the federal level, legislation is not required to access similar additional powers. The comprehensive federal response has included reductions of legislative and regulatory barriers, new prescription guidelines, marketing restrictions, new tools for law enforcement, improvements to the knowledge base, and emergency funding to provinces and territories – all of which were put in place without a formal declaration of a public health emergency.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based. 
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 20, 2020431-00160431-00160 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCApril 28, 2020July 20, 2020March 23, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • In May 2019 the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans provided 20 recommendations to government for changing its current management of commercial fisheries in British Columbia; and
  • After consultations with independent fish harvesters, community organizations, industry, and academics, the report identified need for transparent fishing license and quota ownership as it is not currently known where the benefits of our fish resources are truly flowing; and
  • Among its recommendations, the Standing Committee called for the set-up of a public online database to track the buyers, sellers and sale/lease prices, as well as an end to the sale of fishing quotas and licenses to non-Canadian interests.
THEREFORE, we call upon the Government of Canada to commit to a timeline and a plan that respects and addresses the 20 recommendations laid out in the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans entitled "West Coast Fisheries: Sharing Risks and Benefits".
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanOn March 11, 2020, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) re-tabled their report entitled “West Coast Fisheries: Sharing Risks and Benefits” in the current session. While the tabling of the Government Response during the previous session was affected by the timing of the 2019 Federal election, Fisheries and Oceans Canada values FOPO’s hard work and dedication to highlighting ways to make our fisheries more environmentally and economically sustainable for present and future generations of Canadians. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Government of Canada will provide a response to the report within 120 days of tabling. 
Pacific fisheries
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMay 25, 2020e-2367e-2367 (Fisheries)KeeganMcCollGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJanuary 9, 2020, at 5:18 p.m. (EDT)March 9, 2020, at 5:18 p.m. (EDT)March 11, 2020May 25, 2020March 10, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Wild pacific salmon are under serious threat from pathogens, pollutants, and sea lice originating from open net-cage fish farms;Wild salmon support First Nations cultural traditions, and complex ecosystems, including contributing to coastal forests, which produce the oxygen we breathe;In spite of three legal decisions against it, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans refuses to screen for Piscine Orthoreovirus (PRV) and to agree to transfer farm fish known to be infected with PRV; andPacific salmon runs on the British Columbia (BC) coast are in a state of emergency.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Legislate the removal of open net-pen fish farms from BC waters by 2025, including with legislation aimed at:a) Immediately stopping the transfer of PRV infected smolts into open net-pen fish farms; andb) Completing the transitioning of open net-pen fish farms to land-based closed containment by 2025.2. Dedicate funding and financing for:a) Upgrading training for fish farms workers to move to employment in land-based close containment facilities;b) Transitioning workers out of the aquaculture industry in regions that will not have land based closed containment; andc) Remote First Nations communities currently dependent on revenues from the fish farm industry.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to restoring wild Pacific salmon stocks in British Columbia (B.C.) and helping to ensure that aquaculture activities are undertaken in a manner that is environmentally responsible, sustainable, and protects wild salmon and other key fish stocks along our coasts. Protecting Pacific salmon is a priority for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and departmental officials recognize that these declines are a result of a number of complex factors including habitat destruction, harvest, and climate change.DFO works with the Province of B.C., Indigenous communities, industry and other partners to ensure that aquaculture is sustainable, and that potential risks to wild fish stocks and ecosystems are identified and appropriately managed. The Department’s strict regulatory regime seeks to ensure that the aquaculture industry minimizes risk to wild fish stocks and aquatic ecosystems. This is done through comprehensive regulations, environmental management requirements, and compliance and monitoring activities.Additionally, DFO has undertaken a number of independent and collaborative research projects to further understand Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV), its potential for transmission between wild and farmed salmon, and its ability to cause disease in both Atlantic and Pacific salmon. This work includes a January 2019 Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat risk assessment on the impacts of PRV on Fraser River sockeye in the Discovery Islands. Although there continue to be differing views on this issue, after thorough consideration and analysis the Department has determined that testing for the B.C. strain of PRV-1 is not required to authorize the movement of live fish. Nevertheless, as new scientific evidence becomes available, DFO will adapt and adjust its approach to aquaculture management, as needed.The Department is also moving forward with the implementation of two key management measures as part of its commitment to the precautionary approach, namely, a precautionary survey of freshwater hatcheries in B.C. for two non-native strains of PRV (the Icelandic and the Norwegian), and investing resources to enhance monitoring in B.C. for heart and skeletal muscle inflammation in farmed Atlantic salmon, and jaundice syndrome in farmed Chinook.The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard has been mandated by the Prime Minister to work with the Province of B.C. and Indigenous communities to create a responsible plan by 2025 to transition open net-pen aquaculture in B.C. Close collaboration with the Province and Indigenous communities will be critical in ensuring that the plan is workable, economically feasible, and considers social aspects.The analysis to inform the plan will build upon existing efforts, such as the State of Salmon Aquaculture Technologies study, which was commissioned by DFO, Sustainable Development and Technology Canada, and the Province of B.C. in 2019. Additionally, as announced on June 4, 2019, DFO’s Indigenous and multi-stakeholder advisory body’s alternative production technologies technical working group will make recommendations, expected this spring, for next steps on how to incent the development and implementation of emerging technologies. There has also been active input and debate on various fish health issues with external groups, through the marine finfish and land-based fish health technical working group. Departmental officials will build upon this work to inform the creation of a responsible plan for B.C. The path forward will include consultations and engagements with the public, environmental organizations, industry, and our provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to ensure that aquaculture is done in the most environmentally sustainable and economically viable way.
Closed containment aquacultureWild salmon
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMay 25, 2020431-00130431-00130 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMarch 9, 2020May 25, 2020February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Mr. Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were 13,319 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and June 2019. The Government of Canada is using the broad range of powers at its disposal to address this complex public health crisis.The Government of Canada is committed to taking a public health approach to substance use through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy.  The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
The Government of Canada recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical hydromorphone to eligible patients with opioid use disorder in British Columbia; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 40 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in  provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on a safer supply and building the evidence base for this public health intervention. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. The federal government has taken steps towards increasing access to pharmaceutical-grade medications, including making prescription opioids used in the treatment of severe opioid disorder more easily accessible to healthcare practitioners, reducing regulatory barriers, and funding national clinical guidelines for the management of opioid use disorders.Certain programs, sometimes referred to as “safer supply”, build on these established models in an attempt to reach a wider range of people at risk of overdose and create additional pathways to health and social services. The federal government is supporting pilot projects to increase access to pharmaceutical-grade medications as a safer alternative to the contaminated illegal drug supply. As part of its approach, the federal government is also supporting a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot projects to develop valuable evidence on effective service models and help develop best practices.To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified healthcare provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 11, 2020431-00046431-00046 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJanuary 30, 2020April 11, 2020December 6, 2019PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were 13,319 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and June 2019. The Government of Canada is using the broad range of powers at its disposal to address this complex public health crisis.The Government of Canada is committed to taking a public health approach to substance use through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy.  The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
The Government of Canada recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical hydromorphone to eligible patients with opioid use disorder in British Columbia; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 40 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in  provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on a safer supply and building the evidence base for this public health intervention. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. The federal government has taken steps towards increasing access to pharmaceutical-grade medications, including making prescription opioids used in the treatment of severe opioid disorder more easily accessible to healthcare practitioners, reducing regulatory barriers, and funding national clinical guidelines for the management of opioid use disorders.Certain programs, sometimes referred to as “safer supply”, build on these established models in an attempt to reach a wider range of people at risk of overdose and create additional pathways to health and social services. The federal government is supporting pilot projects to increase access to pharmaceutical-grade medications as a safer alternative to the contaminated illegal drug supply. As part of its approach, the federal government is also supporting a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot projects to develop valuable evidence on effective service models and help develop best practices.To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified healthcare provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based. 
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 11, 2020431-00052431-00052 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 3, 2020April 11, 2020January 24, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • THAT the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that the Pacific herring population dropped by approximately 1/3 between 2016 and 2019, and will drop by more than 50% by 2020;
  • THAT the unexpected drop in the herring population has led to overfishing of existing stock;
  • THAT Pacific herring is the basis of the food web that supports salmon, killer and humpback whales, cod and halibut, seabirds and other independent species on the Pacific coast;
  • THAT First Nations have constitutionally protected rights to herring which are an important food source and an integral part of First Nation cultures.
THEREFORE, we the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to suspend the 2020 Salish Sea herring fishery until a whole ecosystem plan is developed, to fairly compensate local fishers for economic losses, and to ensure that decisions are made with the full participation of First Nations and local communities.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to effectively managing Pacific herring fisheries through evidence-based decisions, ensuring the health and sustainability of these stocks into the future. We share your view that Pacific herring is an important source of food for many species on the Pacific coast and recognize that herring is an integral part of First Nations’ culture and that First Nations have priority access to herring for food, social, and ceremonial purposes, after conservation.Pacific herring are a forage fish species, and as such have large fluctuations in biomass abundance, and so a decline in biomass is not unexpected. Additionally, biomass forecasts are highly uncertain because factors such as environmental conditions and predation vary from year to year. DFO’s harvest management approach is designed to account for this variability. The performance of the approach has been evaluated by DFO Science and subjected to scientific peer review. The approach is designed to be very likely to avoid spawning biomass levels below a limit reference point.The harvest level for the 2019-20 Strait of Georgia herring fishery is 10,895 metric tonnes (harvest rate of 20 per cent of the forecasted spawning biomass). This maximum harvest level is considered precautionary, leaving 80 per cent of mature herring and all juveniles available to support future populations and ecosystem processes, such as food for salmon and marine mammals. The reduced allowable catch is consistent with the conservation goals of the management approach and provides opportunity for industry, including those First Nations that participate in the commercial fishery.The approach outlined above was detailed in the 2019-20 Pacific herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan and released as draft from December 18, 2019 – January 17, 2020, for a 30-day consultation period with First Nations’ communities and organizations, and stakeholders such as commercial harvesters. The consultation process ensures that fishery management decisions are transparent, made with the best available science, and informed by Indigenous, commercial harvester, and public considerations.
Fisheries and fishersHerringSalish Sea
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 11, 2020e-2322e-2322 (Environment)SonjaWoodGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 29, 2019, at 1:37 p.m. (EDT)January 28, 2020, at 1:37 p.m. (EDT)February 5, 2020April 11, 2020January 28, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The Windsor Causeway, Nova Scotia, was constructed across the Avon River in 1968 without proper fish passage and to this day it impedes migrations of fishes, including the at risk Inner Bay of Fundy Wild Atlantic Salmon and American Eel;The Province of Nova Scotia is twinning Highway 101 and construction plans for the causeway now call for a second aboiteau to be built with doors and gates on the remaining channel of the river;As part of the requirements for the twinning approval, fish passage must be provided in accordance with federal DFO regulations, ie: the restoration solution on the Petitcodiac River, New Brunswick in 2010 - 'remove a portion' of the causeway, returning free tidal flow; andThe proposed Avon River aboiteau design calls for modifications which have the ability to restrict fish passage by allowing doors and gates to be closed at will. An aboiteau with doors and gates is not an adequate solution; native fish species prefer a natural method of passage 24/7, 365 days per year.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to require a portion of the existing Windsor Causeway be removed to return free tidal flow of the Avon River, like the restoration on the Petitcodiac River in 2010. This will allow recovery and protection of the iBoF Atlantic Salmon, COSEWIC listed American Eel and their critical habitats, and it will be in accordance with both 'Species at Risk' legislation and the Precautionary Approach as recommended by DFO Science.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (NSTIR) is proposing to twin and upgrade the existing Highway 101 in Hants County, Nova Scotia. The project also includes the replacement of the tidal gate (aboiteau) structure located at the outlet to the Avon River.On January 21, 2020, a Fisheries Act authorization was issued for Phase 1 of the project which involves the placement of fill material near the mouth of the Avon River to prepare for the highway twinning. One hundred seven thousand and three hundred squared metres (107,300m2) of fish habitat will be affected by infilling the Windsor saltmarsh. The project is scheduled to take place over the next three years.In accordance with the Fisheries Act, NSTIR will offset the residual impact from the infilling by restoring comparable tidal wetland habitat, by breaching agricultural dykes and removing three aboiteaux along Salmon River, near the confluence with the North River, in Onslow in Colchester County.Phase 2 of the project will include the replacement of the existing aboiteau, which is a complex flood control structure that forms part of the overall dykeland system for the communities of Falmouth and Windsor. Phase 2 will include fish passage structures and also require a Fisheries Act authorization for the construction and operation of the new aboiteau.Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has not yet received any formal plans for the proposed replacement aboiteau, but these are expected to be submitted in the spring of 2020. Once an application is received, DFO will conduct a detailed review of the project under the Fisheries Act and the Species at Risk Act. DFO will evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed fish passage structures for any migratory species likely to use the Avon River, including Atlantic Salmon, Gaspereau and American Eel.
Avon RiverFishTransportation infrastructureWildlife conservation
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 11, 2020431-00091431-00091 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 19, 2020April 11, 2020January 7, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • THAT the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that the Pacific herring population dropped by approximately 1/3 between 2016 and 2019, and will drop by more than 50% by 2020;
  • THAT the unexpected drop in the herring population has led to overfishing of existing stock;
  • THAT Pacific herring is the basis of the food web that supports salmon, killer and humpback whales, cod and halibut, seabirds and other independent species on the Pacific coast;
  • THAT First Nations have constitutionally protected rights to herring which are an important food source and an integral part of First Nation cultures.
THEREFORE, we the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to suspend the 2020 Salish Sea herring fishery until a whole ecosystem plan is developed, to fairly compensate local fishers for economic losses, and to ensure that decisions are made with the full participation of First Nations and local communities.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to effectively managing Pacific herring fisheries through evidence-based decisions, ensuring the health and sustainability of these stocks into the future. We share your view that Pacific herring is an important source of food for many species on the Pacific coast and recognize that herring is an integral part of First Nations’ culture and that First Nations have priority access to herring for food, social, and ceremonial purposes, after conservation.Pacific herring are a forage fish species, and as such have large fluctuations in biomass abundance, and so a decline in biomass is not unexpected. Additionally, biomass forecasts are highly uncertain because factors such as environmental conditions and predation vary from year to year. DFO’s harvest management approach is designed to account for this variability. The performance of the approach has been evaluated by DFO Science and subjected to scientific peer review. The approach is designed to be very likely to avoid spawning biomass levels below a limit reference point.The harvest level for the 2019-20 Strait of Georgia herring fishery is 10,895 metric tonnes (harvest rate of 20 per cent of the forecasted spawning biomass). This maximum harvest level is considered precautionary, leaving 80 per cent of mature herring and all juveniles available to support future populations and ecosystem processes, such as food for salmon and marine mammals. The reduced allowable catch is consistent with the conservation goals of the management approach and provides opportunity for industry, including those First Nations that participate in the commercial fishery.The approach outlined above was detailed in the 2019-20 Pacific herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan and released as draft from December 18, 2019 – January 17, 2020, for a 30-day consultation period with First Nations’ communities and organizations, and stakeholders such as commercial harvesters. The consultation process ensures that fishery management decisions are transparent, made with the best available science, and informed by Indigenous, commercial harvester, and public considerations.
Fisheries and fishersHerringSalish Sea
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 11, 2020431-00100431-00100 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 21, 2020April 11, 2020February 3, 2020PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were 13,319 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and June 2019. The Government of Canada is using the broad range of powers at its disposal to address this complex public health crisis.The Government of Canada is committed to taking a public health approach to substance use through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy.  The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
The Government of Canada recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical hydromorphone to eligible patients with opioid use disorder in British Columbia; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 40 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in  provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on a safer supply and building the evidence base for this public health intervention. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. The federal government has taken steps towards increasing access to pharmaceutical-grade medications, including making prescription opioids used in the treatment of severe opioid disorder more easily accessible to healthcare practitioners, reducing regulatory barriers, and funding national clinical guidelines for the management of opioid use disorders.Certain programs, sometimes referred to as “safer supply”, build on these established models in an attempt to reach a wider range of people at risk of overdose and create additional pathways to health and social services. The federal government is supporting pilot projects to increase access to pharmaceutical-grade medications as a safer alternative to the contaminated illegal drug supply. As part of its approach, the federal government is also supporting a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot projects to develop valuable evidence on effective service models and help develop best practices.To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified healthcare provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based. 
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 11, 2020431-00101431-00101 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 24, 2020April 11, 2020February 4, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • THAT the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that the Pacific herring population dropped by approximately 1/3 between 2016 and 2019, and will drop by more than 50% by 2020;
  • THAT the unexpected drop in the herring population has led to overfishing of existing stock;
  • THAT Pacific herring is the basis of the food web that supports salmon, killer and humpback whales, cod and halibut, seabirds and other independent species on the Pacific coast;
  • THAT First Nations have constitutionally protected rights to herring which are an important food source and an integral part of First Nation cultures.
THEREFORE, we the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to suspend the 2020 Salish Sea herring fishery until a whole ecosystem plan is developed, to fairly compensate local fishers for economic losses, and to ensure that decisions are made with the full participation of First Nations and local communities.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to effectively managing Pacific herring fisheries through evidence-based decisions, ensuring the health and sustainability of these stocks into the future. We share your view that Pacific herring is an important source of food for many species on the Pacific coast and recognize that herring is an integral part of First Nations’ culture and that First Nations have priority access to herring for food, social, and ceremonial purposes, after conservation.Pacific herring are a forage fish species, and as such have large fluctuations in biomass abundance, and so a decline in biomass is not unexpected. Additionally, biomass forecasts are highly uncertain because factors such as environmental conditions and predation vary from year to year. DFO’s harvest management approach is designed to account for this variability. The performance of the approach has been evaluated by DFO Science and subjected to scientific peer review. The approach is designed to be very likely to avoid spawning biomass levels below a limit reference point.The harvest level for the 2019-20 Strait of Georgia herring fishery is 10,895 metric tonnes (harvest rate of 20 per cent of the forecasted spawning biomass). This maximum harvest level is considered precautionary, leaving 80 per cent of mature herring and all juveniles available to support future populations and ecosystem processes, such as food for salmon and marine mammals. The reduced allowable catch is consistent with the conservation goals of the management approach and provides opportunity for industry, including those First Nations that participate in the commercial fishery.The approach outlined above was detailed in the 2019-20 Pacific herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan and released as draft from December 18, 2019 – January 17, 2020, for a 30-day consultation period with First Nations’ communities and organizations, and stakeholders such as commercial harvesters. The consultation process ensures that fishery management decisions are transparent, made with the best available science, and informed by Indigenous, commercial harvester, and public considerations.
Fisheries and fishersHerringSalish Sea
43rd Parliament229Not certifiedApril 2, 2020e-2404e-2404 (Fisheries)TashaSutcliffeGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJanuary 30, 2020, at 10:52 a.m. (EDT)March 30, 2020, at 10:52 a.m. (EDT)April 2, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:In May 2019, a much welcomed report from the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) provided 20 unanimously supported recommendations to government for changing its current management of commercial fisheries in British Columbia; After hearing many testimonies, including from independent fish harvesters, community organizations, industry, and academics, the report entitled “West Coast Fisheries: Sharing Risks and Benefits” clearly identified the lack of transparency around fishing licence and quota ownership, highlighting the fact that it is not currently known where the benefits of our fish resources are truly flowing; and Among its recommendations, FOPO called for the setup of a public online database to track the buyers, sellers and sale/lease prices, as well as an end to the sale of fishing quotas and licences to non-Canadian interests.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to commit to a timeline and a plan that respects and addresses the 20 recommendations laid out in the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) report entitled “West Coast Fisheries: Sharing Risks and Benefits”.Fisheries policyPacific fisheries43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 13, 2020e-2293e-2293 (Employment and labour)JoshuaDahlingGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 29, 2019, at 10:39 a.m. (EDT)January 28, 2020, at 10:39 a.m. (EDT)January 29, 2020March 13, 2020January 28, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:The Canadian Government recognizes the need to support families when a life is brought into this world, yet it does little in regard to support when a loved one diesIt is estimated that for every death, five people are impacted severely. Some experience (life-long) symptoms including: anxiety, chemical dependency, depression, divorce, suicide, homelessness and moreAlthough most people will experience the loss of a loved one in their lifetime, few have adequate long-term supports and/or resources to assist through bereavementCurrently, the Canadian Labour Code only provides three consecutive working days for bereavement leave with strict guidelines regarding pay; andDespite the mental health implications associated with loss, there is virtually no government funding designated towards bereavement care. Organizations like the Camp Kerry Society, which provides year-round services to individuals and families coping with illness, grief and loss, must fundraise for every client they serve across this country.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to (a) recognize that there are long-term implications associated with insufficient bereavement care and to take actions to help remedy this crisis; (b) increase paid bereavement leave from three days to an arrangement similar to parental leave; (c) provide funding specifically designated towards bereavement care services that can be easily accessed by organizations like the Camp Kerry Society, Hospices and others who specialize in this field; and (d) amend current legislation to allow up to 104 weeks of leave if a child has died regardless of whether or not a crime has been committed, (e) create a National Bereavement Strategy.
Response by the Minister of LabourSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Anthony HousefatherThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views on the need to support families who suffer the loss of a loved one. The Government acknowledges the pain and anguish caused by the death of a loved one. We know that these events can have implications for Canadians’ mental and physical health, and that this can make it difficult to return to work.There are several protections and benefits available to workers when they suffer the loss of a loved one.In 2017 and 2018, the Government amended the Canada Labour Code to improve the protections available to federally regulated workers who suffer such a  loss. First, we enhanced the bereavement leave so that workers have access to five days of leave (three of which are paid by their employer) instead of three, and giving workers more flexibility to take those days when they need them. Now, employees can use these days when they need them most – from the day the death occurs to up to six weeks after the funeral or memorial service. Second, we introduced a new personal leave of five days (three of which are paid by their employer) that employees can access for a variety of reasons, including the tragic death of a loved one.While these provisions protect employees in the immediate aftermath of a bereavement, the Government acknowledges that the grieving process affects people differently. Under the Canada Labour Code, federally regulated employees have access to 17 weeks of job-protected medical leave if they are unable to work due to health reasons, including psychological trauma or stress. Employees experiencing these symptoms as a result of the passing of a loved one would be able to access this leave, giving them time to grieve and recover.To complement the medical leave provisions above and to alleviate financial hardship, sickness benefits under the Employment Insurance Act are payable for up to 15 weeks to eligible claimants who are unable to work due to illness, including situations of pronounced psychological or emotional distress that are supported by a medical note signed by an approved medical practitioner.There are also protections for those Canadians who wish to continue working after the death of a loved one but may need certain accommodations. For instance, the Government recently amended the Canada Labour Code to give employees in the federal jurisdiction the right to request a change to the terms and conditions of their employment related to the number of hours they work, their work schedule and the location of their work. This allows employees to find tailored solutions geared towards giving them the space they need to grieve while allowing them to continue to contribute and earn an income.Furthermore, on June 7, 2019, the Government tabled in the House of Commons its response to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities’ report Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child. The Government welcomed the recommendations of the committee and responded along the key themes of: 1) enhancing information and services for grieving families; 2) reducing financial hardships for parents who suffered the loss of a child; and 3) continuing policy analysis regarding other supports. For more information on the Government’s response to the committee, please visit: https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/HUMA/report-14/response-8512-421-513Once again, the Government of Canada wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in the Government’s ongoing efforts to improve its programs.
Deaths and funeralsEmployment insuranceLeave from work
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 12, 2020431-00041431-00041 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJanuary 28, 2020March 12, 2020December 6, 2019PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas over 4000 Canadians died in 2017 and over 2,800 in 2016 due to preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources. The number of preventable deaths has surpassed the total number of deaths of all other Public Health Emergencies in the last 20 years including SARS, H1N1, and Ebola. Those who have died as a result of a preventable opioid overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources were valued citizens of this country; our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends. And whereas Substance use is a normal part of human experience; documented across centuries and all over the world. The current war on drugs has been costly and grossly ineffective and resulted in widespread stigma towards addiction and against those who use illicit drugs. Criminalization of particular substances has resulted in the establishment of a drug trade that now traffics dangerous and lethal products, such as fentanyl. Regulating to ensure safe sources, with proper measures and bylaws, will reduce the criminal element associated with street drugs. Problematic substance use is a health issue and is not resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with dramatically reducing overdose deaths in the countries that have modernized their drug policy.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  1. Declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a National Public Health Emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths.
  2. Reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession.
  3. Create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances, experimentally, recreationally or chronically, are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about problematic substance use in Canada, including the ongoing opioid overdose crisis and the devastating impact it is having on the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Tragically, there were 13,319 apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada between January 2016 and June 2019. The Government of Canada is using the broad range of powers at its disposal to address this complex public health crisis.The Government of Canada is committed to taking a public health approach to substance use through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy.  The Strategy includes four pillars – prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement – and is designed to be comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate and evidence-based.  The Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that life-saving harm reduction measures are available to Canadians who need it;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation;
  • working with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options; and
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis. 
The Government of Canada recognizes that the overwhelming majority of deaths caused by the opioid overdose crisis are due to a street drug supply that is contaminated with highly toxic substances, such as fentanyl. The Government is taking a series of actions to address this issue, including:
  • funding the development of national guidelines for injectable opioid agonist treatment;
  • removing federal regulatory barriers to effective, evidence-based treatment options, including making it easier for health practitioners to prescribe diacetylmorphine and methadone to patients with opioid use disorder, and facilitating community delivery models for opioid agonist treatment;
  • allowing the importation of drugs approved in other countries (but not yet in Canada) to address urgent public health needs, including diacetylmorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder;
  • supporting pilot projects to provide pharmaceutical hydromorphone to eligible patients with opioid use disorder in British Columbia; and,
  • working with provinces, territories, and stakeholder groups to address this issue and identify what additional steps can be taken.
The Government of Canada has made substantial investments to address the overdose crisis. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • investing $76.2 million to take action to protect Canadians and prevent overdose deaths. This investment will be used to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply. These measures build on the Budget 2019 investment of $30.5 million over five years, with $1 million ongoing, to expand access to safer alternatives to the illegal drug supply and support better access to opioid overdose response training and naloxone in underserved communities;
  • providing $231.4 million over five years through Budget 2018 for additional measures to help address the opioid overdose crisis, including a one-time $150 million emergency treatment fund for provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment services;
  • providing emergency funding to British Columbia ($10 million) and Alberta ($6 million) to address the ongoing crisis in these two jurisdictions, plus $5 million in targeted health care funding for Manitoba to assist with priority needs, including their opioid response;
  • providing an additional $200 million, with $40 million per year ongoing, to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment and prevention services in First Nations communities; and,
  • allocating $13 million over five years to launch a new national, multi-year public education campaign to help reshape Canadians’ attitudes and perceptions about people who use drugs.
In order to prevent and reduce the harms of problematic substance use, including to enable access to evidence-based treatment and support recovery, the Government has undertaken a broad range of policy, legislative and regulatory actions, including:
  • Approving supervised consumption sites (with 40 currently in operation across Canada), and providing class exemptions to facilitate the establishment of overdose prevention sites;
  • supporting the passage of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which encourages people to call for emergency help at the scene of an overdose by providing protection against simple drug possession charges;
  • establishing effective Federal, Provincial and Territorial public health emergency governance, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Problematic Substance Use & Harms;
  • collaborating with provinces and territories to better understand the evolving crisis, and undertaking timely monitoring and reporting of opioid-related deaths and harms in Canada;
  • deploying public health officers from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support public health surveillance systems in  provinces and territories; and,
  • supporting the development and dissemination of national clinical practice guidelines to treat opioid use disorder, which include a recommendation for medication-assisted treatment as a front-line option for patients, through the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse.
We are focusing on a safer supply and building the evidence base for this public health intervention. The use of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to treat opioid use disorder is an established medical practice, supported by research and peer-reviewed clinical guidance. The federal government has taken steps towards increasing access to pharmaceutical-grade medications, including making prescription opioids used in the treatment of severe opioid disorder more easily accessible to healthcare practitioners, reducing regulatory barriers, and funding national clinical guidelines for the management of opioid use disorders.Certain programs, sometimes referred to as “safer supply”, build on these established models in an attempt to reach a wider range of people at risk of overdose and create additional pathways to health and social services. The federal government is supporting pilot projects to increase access to pharmaceutical-grade medications as a safer alternative to the contaminated illegal drug supply. As part of its approach, the federal government is also supporting a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot projects to develop valuable evidence on effective service models and help develop best practices.To protect the health and safety of all Canadians, any prescription-grade medications, including those that may be used in safer supply programs, may only be provided with the appropriate oversight of a qualified healthcare provider (e.g., a physician or a nurse practitioner), as per the parameters of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its regulations, as well as applicable provincial, territorial, and professional regulatory requirements.In Canada, our circumstances require that we undertake a comprehensive and collaborative approach across all provinces and territories.  No single organization or level of government alone can solve the opioid overdose crisis.  All levels of government, a wide range of stakeholders and all Canadians who are impacted by opioid use must work together to reduce opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and improve the health and well-being of Canadians who use drugs.Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, the Government of Canada remains firmly committed to addressing all forms of problematic substance use with a public health approach that is comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence based.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 11, 2020431-00039431-00039 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJanuary 27, 2020March 11, 2020January 7, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • THAT the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced that the Pacific herring population dropped by approximately 1/3 between 2016 and 2019, and will drop by more than 50% by 2020;
  • THAT the unexpected drop in the herring population has led to overfishing of existing stock;
  • THAT Pacific herring is the basis of the food web that supports salmon, killer and humpback whales, cod and halibut, seabirds and other independent species on the Pacific coast;
  • THAT First Nations have constitutionally protected rights to herring which are an important food source and an integral part of First Nation cultures.
THEREFORE, we the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to suspend the 2020 Salish Sea herring fishery until a whole ecosystem plan is developed, to fairly compensate local fishers for economic losses, and to ensure that decisions are made with the full participation of First Nations and local communities.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to effectively managing the Pacific herring fisheries through evidence-based decisions, ensuring the health and sustainability of these stocks into the future. We share your view that Pacific herring is an important source of food for many species on the Pacific coast and recognize that herring is an integral part of First Nations’ culture and that First Nations have priority access to herring for food, social, and ceremonial purposes, after conservation.Pacific herring are a forage fish species, and as such share the prevalent population dynamic of large fluctuations in biomass abundance, and so a decline in biomass is not unexpected. Additionally, forecasts are highly uncertain because factors such as environmental conditions and predation vary from year to year. DFO’s harvest management approach is designed to account for this variability. The performance of the approach has been evaluated by DFO Science and subjected to scientific peer review. The approach is designed to be very likely to avoid spawning biomass levels below a limit reference point.The harvest level for the 2019-20 Strait of Georgia herring fishery is 10,895 metric tonnes (harvest rate of 20 per cent of the forecasted spawning biomass). The allowable catch has been reduced by more than 50 per cent from the 2018-19 fishing season in response to the lower stock forecast for 2020. This maximum harvest level is considered precautionary, leaving 80 per cent of mature herring and all juveniles available to support future populations and ecosystem processes, such as food for salmon and marine mammals. The reduced allowable catch is consistent with the conservation goals of the management approach and provides opportunity for industry, including those First Nations that participate in the commercial fishery.The approach outlined above was detailed in the 2019-20 Pacific herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan and released as draft from December 18, 2019 – January 17, 2020, for a 30-day consultation period with First Nations’ communities and organizations, and stakeholders such as commercial harvesters. The consultation process ensures that fishery management decisions are transparent, made with the best available science, and informed by Indigenous, commercial harvester, and public considerations.
Fisheries and fishersHerringSalish Sea
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 27, 2020431-00003431-00003 (Social affairs and equality)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCDecember 6, 2019January 27, 2020June 7, 2019PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas, Every year, an an estimated 235,000 people in Canada experience homelessness.Whereas, The Government of Canada's committment to reduce homelessness by 50% over 10 years would still leave 117,500 Canadians homeless each year.Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the House of Commons to take immediate action by:
  1. Officially recognizing that housing is a human right;
  2. Adopt M-147 to develop a plan to end and prevent homelessness in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): ADAM VAUGHANThe Government of Canada is committed to helping those who are in need and believes that one homeless Canadian is one too many.The National Housing Strategy Act, now passed into law[1], represents a historic milestone for housing in Canada. With the National Housing Strategy Act, the Government of Canada has enshrined the right to housing into law, and is ensuring that the housing concerns of vulnerable Canadians are heard at the highest levels of government. Since taking office in 2015, we’ve invested nearly $13 billion in Canada’s housing sector, and helped more than 1 million Canadians find a place to call home.The housing policy of the Government of Canada recognizes that the right to adequate housing is a fundamental human right affirmed in international law and recognizes that housing is essential to the inherent dignity and well-being of the person and to building sustainable and inclusive communities. Moreover, the Government of Canada’s housing policy furthers the progressive realization of the right to adequate housing as recognized in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.The National Housing Strategy Act requires the federal government, and future governments, to develop, maintain and report on a National Housing Strategy that prioritizes the housing needs of the most vulnerable and takes into account key principles of a human rights-based approach to housing.The National Housing Strategy Act creates a Federal Housing Advocate and also establishes a National Housing Council. Together, they will help identify systemic barriers to accessing affordable housing and advise the Government on housing policy in Canada.A description of all the functions and mandates of the Federal Housing Advocate and the National Housing Council can be found in  the text of the National Housing Strategy Act.As part of the National Housing Strategy, a total investment of $2.2 billion over 10 years was announced to expand and extend funding for the federal homelessness program.  On June 11, 2018, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development announced that Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy would replace the Homelessness Partnering Strategy on April 1, 2019.This plan to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada introduces bold changes to federal homelessness programming and supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, particularly to support the needs of the most vulnerable Canadians and to reduce chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by 2027–28.In collaboration with other orders of government and the non-profit sector, the Government of Canada is supporting community-level efforts to prevent homelessness where possible and, when it does occur, ensure there are well-managed, efficient systems in place to address it.  Specifically, through Reaching Home, the Government of Canada:
  • reinforces its community-based approach to addressing homelessness by delivering funding directly to municipalities and local service providers; 
  • introduces a new outcomes-based approach to give communities greater flexibility to identify, test, and apply innovative solutions and evidence-based practices to achieve results for vulnerable Canadians. As part of this approach, all Housing First investment targets have been removed in order to provide communities with the flexibility they need to meet local homelessness priorities;
  • increases support for communities to address the needs of those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. By 2021–22, total annual federal investments in homelessness will double compared to 2015–16 levels;
  • introduces coordinated access as a program priority. Coordinated access will help communities shift toward a more coordinated and systems-based approach to preventing and reducing homelessness;
  • will invest $413 million to address Indigenous homelessness over the next nine years; and,
  • introduces a new Territorial Homelessness funding stream that bolsters federal investments available in the territories to prevent and reduce homelessness.To inform this redesign, the Government initiated consultation and engagement processes: 
  • The Government of Canada consulted with stakeholders, provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, and people with lived experience of homelessness on how to modernize programming to better prevent and reduce homelessness across Canada. These consultations were guided by the work of an Advisory Committee on Homelessness chaired by Parliamentary Secretary Adam Vaughan and comprised of 13 experts from across the country representing regional, cultural and linguistic duality as well as those with lived experience of homelessness. The Advisory Committee on Homelessness held 10 roundtables across the country in both official languages. In addition to roundtables, the Advisory Committee participated in site visits with local service providers to talk to frontline workers and their clients on how the Government might better support local efforts to address homelessness. 
  • The Government also launched an online feedback survey that was open from July 17 to September 15, 2017, seeking input from all Canadians and organizations with ideas and suggestions on how to prevent and reduce homelessness in Canada. 
  • The findings from these consultations were published in both the Advisory Committee on Homelessness’ Final Report and in the Homelessness Partnering Strategy What We Heard Report, which were publicly released on May 18, 2018.  Thanks to the National Housing Strategy Act, we’re making sure that this is just the beginning, and that the federal government will be a full partner in giving more Canadians a place to call home both today and in the future.? ?
 [1]Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1, section 19
Civil and human rightsHomelessness and homelessSocial housing