Time to treat fentanyl mass production like mass murder says MP, echoing his party's leader

Photo: Contributed

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas

Over the weekend, Canada received welcome news of a 30-day reprieve from anticipated U.S. tariffs—25% on Canadian goods and 10% on Canadian energy exports to the United States.

The 30-day reprieve prevents Canadian counter-tariffs from taking effect, which would have raised costs for already-struggling Canadian consumers buying U.S. imports.
In response to U.S. President Donald Trump's demands, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced several border-related measures to secure this tariff reprieve.

“I just had a good call with President Trump,” said Trudeau. “Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan—reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border.

"In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a fentanyl czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada-U.S. joint strike force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million.”

Those measures mark a significant shift in the government's approach and represent Trudeau's first serious acknowledgment the fentanyl crisis demands more urgent and forceful federal action.

Critics have noted it took pressure from Trump to compel Trudeau to act on this crisis. However, from my perspective, enhanced border security and increased vigilance should be a non-partisan initiative all Canadians can support.

Fentanyl and opioids pose a grave public health crisis. Since 2016, approximately 49,000 Canadians have lost their lives to opioid overdoses, a tragic 200% increase over the period.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced new measures to address the opioid crisis that he would implement if (his party is elected to government and) he becomes prime minister. These measures include imposing mandatory life sentences on anyone (convicted of being) involved in the trafficking, production and distribution of more than 40 milligrams of fentanyl. He also proposed mandatory prison sentences of 15 years for traffickers (convicted of being) caught with between 20 mg to 40 mg of fentanyl.

Adding some context to those numbers, 80% of accidental opioid deaths in Canada involve fentanyl. It takes just two milligrams of fentanyl to kill someone. That means just 40 mg of fentanyl is enough to kill 20 people.

Conservatives believe it is time to treat mass fentanyl production like mass murder. We must make efforts to stop the flow of drugs that are killing far too many of our loved ones.

My question this week:

Should fentanyl trafficking be treated more like mass murder, with mandatory prison sentences, as proposed in the Conservative plan, or do you think this approach goes too far?

I can be reached at [email protected] or call toll-free 1-800-665-8711.

Dan Albas is the Conservative MP for Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.