Kevin Falcon and BC United vote to end drug decriminalization

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon introduced legislation today that seeks to completely dismantle David Eby and the NDP’s reckless drug decriminalization policy.

“Just last week, David Eby feigned outrage over the impacts of his NDP government’s reckless decriminalization experiment. He talked tough but doubled down on his failed experiment. Today, after several successive attempts by our BC United Caucus to force a vote on decriminalization, I tabled legislation to put an end to this policy once and for all,” said Falcon.

BC United’s bill passed First Reading in the Legislature with support of all MLAs. If called for debate and enacted, the bill would require the NDP government to “request in writing that the federal minister end the class exemption for adults in the province of British Columbia to possess small amounts of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA under Subsection 56(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada),” on or before May 10, 2024.

“David Eby and the NDP must now call BC United’s bill for debate. If they fail to do so, despite today’s vote in the Legislature, it will be clear that the NDP are intent on avoiding any accountability for the chaos and harm caused by this failed policy,” added Falcon.

On February 3, 2021, the NDP government independently requested a decriminalization exemption from the Government of Canada, bypassing a vote in the B.C. Legislature. This bill marks the third attempt by BC United to bring the issue to a vote.

Only BC United pledges to definitively and permanently end the NDP’s disastrous decriminalization policy and taxpayer-funded drug diversion. BC United’s ‘Better is Possible’ plan prioritizes treatment, recovery, and rigorous enforcement against drug trafficking to safeguard B.C. communities.

 ATTACHED: Ending Decriminalization Act, 2024