Ottawa, ON – Frank Caputo, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Arpan Khanna, Conservative Shadow Minister for Justice & Attorney General of Canada, released the following statement on the BC Supreme Court ruling declaring banning drug possession for the purpose of trafficking unconstitutional:
“Conservatives are calling on Mark Carney to intervene, appeal the BC Supreme Court’s decision and keep Canadians safe.
“On Tuesday, the court ruled that banning the possession of drugs for purposes of trafficking is unconstitutional.
“At a time when hard drugs and drug trafficking are devastating communities, the BC Supreme Court is allowing people to buy and sell illegal drugs.
“The Canadian promise was simple. If you work hard and follow the rules, you can raise your family in a safe neighbourhood. After 11 years of Liberal government, that promise is broken.
“By decriminalizing dangerous drugs and handing out taxpayer-funded hard drugs, the Liberals have abandoned Canadians in active addiction to die on the streets. More than 50,000 Canadians have died from opioid overdoses since 2016.
“Liberal soft-on-crime policies are making you less safe. Bill C-5 removed mandatory prison time for drug trafficking, while Bill C-75 made it easier for repeat offenders to get bail and terrorize once-safe neighbourhoods.
“Now, this court decision will make it harder to stop people from selling illegal drugs. There is no constitutional right to sell heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.
“Mark Carney has a choice. He can appeal this decision or continue the Liberals’ failed, radical drug experiment while more Canadians pay the price.
“People struggling with addiction deserve compassion, treatment and recovery. We must stop their suffering and help them take back control of their lives.
“Conservatives will keep fighting for treatment and recovery and restore the promise of safe neighbourhoods for all Canadians.