QUEEN’S PARK – MPP Bhutila Karpoche, Member for Parkdale—High Park and Official Opposition critic for Mental Health and Addictions, is tabling a bill this week that would cap the wait time for children and youth accessing mental health and addiction services at 30 days.
Ford’s government hasn’t contacted the expert panel in four months
NDP Mental Health and Addictions critic Bhutila Karpoche said Monday that while it’s a relief that Doug Ford has been convinced to allow Overdose Prevention Sites to operate, putting an arbitrary cap on the number of sites allowed is not a welcome move.
With cold, wind and rain forcing the closure of a community-driven temporary overdose prevention site, Parkdale—High Park MPP Bhutila Karpoche rose in question period Monday to urge the Ford government to open the previously approved, semi-permanent overdose prevention site that can operate year-round.
“Today, on World Mental Health Day, communities around the world come together to raise awareness about the challenges faced by those living with mental health issues.
On Friday, NDP Mental Health and Addictions critic Bhutila Karpoche issued the following statement regarding news that the Ford government is continuing to delay the opening of overdose prevention sites throughout Ontario:
Doug Ford has now held Overdose Prevention Sites on a 45-day "pause" against the advice of health care and addictions experts, and the NDP is calling for that pause to end.
With the Ford Conservatives’ backward priorities driving the Queen’s Park agenda, NDP Parkdale—High Park MPP, Bhutila Karpoche accused the Ford Conservatives of throwing away available public dollars that could be allocated to help address the opioid crisis simply by refusing to call it a public health emergency.
"Today, on International Overdose Awareness Day, communities around the world come together to raise awareness and commemorate those who have been lost to a drug overdose.
“Doug Ford is more concerned about subsidizing big brewers than he is about families’ urgent priorities. Ford’s photo-op on Monday does nothing to help the families hurt by his cuts to education, housing, and social assistance. While spending on beer subsidies, Ford is cutting mental health funding by $330 million every year. And while spending on beer subsidies, Ford is cancelling much needed school repairs. Ontarians deserve a government that invests in their priorities — not in pet projects cooked up in back rooms to benefit just a few insiders.”