November 24, 2016
Statement by Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen Regarding Combatting the Flow of Fentanyl into Canada
At the recent national summit on opioids, Manitoba called upon the federal government to take immediate action to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl and other opioids from countries such as China. I am pleased that today the RCMP and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security announced their commitment to work together to combat the illegal importation of these drugs into Canada.
While I am pleased to see the federal government is taking these much needed initial steps, I would note there is further work to be done. I urge the federal minister to move as quickly as possible to restrict the sale of pill presses across the country. Illicit drug manufacturers do not respect provincial borders and a co-ordinated, national response is required to ensure these tools cannot flow freely within Canada.
Law enforcement agencies here in Manitoba and across the country have been working hard to intercept and prevent the trafficking of fentanyl and other opioids, but require additional mechanisms to prevent these deadly drugs from making their way into our neighborhoods. I encourage the government of Canada to provide enhanced detection authority to the Canada Border Services Agency to ensure that fentanyl and other opioids are prevented from entering into Canada.
Manitoba will continue working collaboratively with our partners across the country and here in Manitoba as we focus on immediate and long-term solutions to address this very real public health concern.
- 30 -