BC NDP propose new Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions

The BC NDP is promising to create a Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions to address the province’s ongoing opioid crisis.

On a visit with families who have lost loved ones to overdoses, BC NDP leader John Horgan spoke about the need for a government that would make treatment to addiction a priority.

“Fentanyl has already taken too many lives and destroyed too many families,” said Horgan.

“Every day that goes by more lives are lost. British Columbians can’t afford to wait any longer for this province to get a new government that actually addresses the problems people face.”

See also

• BC Election 2017: Christy Clark to recall BC legislature on June 22
• Nearly 4 people died in BC everyday from drug overdoses in April

Horgan went on to say that the BC NDP is committed to introducing a standalone mental health and addictions ministry.

“My government will have a minister who gets up every single day focused on solving this problem and saving people’s lives. It’s not going to be on the side of someone’s desk,” he said.

“Families can’t afford Christy Clark’s neglect anymore. It’s time to get to work.”

However, Horgan is not in a position to form a ministry just yet. He will have to wait and see what happens on June 22, when BC Liberal leader Christy Clark will finally recall the legislature to see if she can continue as premier.

As it stands right now, the BC Liberals have 43 seats, the BC NDP 41, and the BC Greens 3, no one has a majority, and the BC legislature is hung.

The BC Greens negotiated with both the BC Liberals and the BC NDP to establish whether they could work with a party to support a minority government.

Ultimately, BC Greens leader Andrew Weaver announced they had agreed to support a BC NDP minority government with BC NDP leader John Horgan.

With files from Jenni Sheppard.