First week back: Embattled NDP, Opposition clamours for public inquiry

Guess what? Safe supply ain't safe

Tough week at the office for Premier David Eby. [Hansard TV]

Hi everyone,

Dynamic goings-on in the provincial capital this week.

In the first post-election, legislative face-off between the NDP and Conservatives, a fired-up Official Opposition hammered govt on its longstanding mishandling of ‘safe supply’ diversion.

Only two question periods this week, but both featured intense, emotional exchanges and calls for an independent inquiry by the BC Conservatives, along with a lot of smoke-and-mirror action by the NDP bench around its oxymoronically dubbed safe supply program.

For a snapshot overview of the debates, check out this story by CTV’s Rob Buffam.

Deny, deny, deny

BC Premier David Eby and his NDP ministers have for years denied, deflected and downplayed safe supply drug diversion even in the face of mounting evidence it was being widely trafficked and creating new opioid addictions.

Then, this month govt’s own leaked document revealed 20 million safe supply pills and patches had been prescribed since 2020 and an undisclosed number were being trafficked provincially, nationally and internationally. Journalists should be sparing about using words like scandal and cover-up, but this situation screams both.

Despite their own internal investigation revealing international drug trafficking, officials refused to give details, and instead doubled down on the gaslighting.

I’ve been covering safe supply issues for more than two years and the BC NDP and certain senior health officials’ relentless obfuscation of the truth on this file continues to astound.

Finally, on Feb. 19 something broke. Opposition pressure, media scrutiny, police evidence (legal liability?) forced govt to act… without admitting any mistakes.

Health Minister Josie Osborne announced a major change in the program. Safe supply patients can no longer take multi-day prescriptions away from pharmacies for use at home, and instead must consume opioid pills, or apply fentanyl patches, in front of a healthcare professional.

The announcement came with an hour’s notice to the media – press conferences are usually scheduled a day or more in advance – and minutes ahead of the first question period of the new session. Rob Shaw breaks down how and why government made the last-ditch, Hail Mary play.

Addictions physicians, Opposition members and journalists have been reporting diversion, warning against the harms and calling for witnessed consumption for years. Yet the BC govt was still spinning their whiplash political backflip as a proactive move taken as soon as they learned of the situation.

Surrey South MLA and former RCMP officer, Elenore Sturko and the Conservatives spent the week calling their bluff.

“Somebody knew this was happening and they did nothing,” says Sturko, calling for a public inquiry. [Hansard TV]

More poli-wise words on safe supply

Because Rob Shaw never sleeps [he’s actually AI-generated and only goes offline between 2 and 3 am every Sunday for system updating], you can read his additional analysis of government’s disingenuous stance: Politicians never say sorry and NDP’s safe supply gaslighting collapses in BIV.

Speaking of indefatigable journalists... you can also learn Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer’s take on the NDP’s repeated mismanagement of safe supply in Shoot the messenger, and Organized crime profits from safe supply. [Thank you to Vaughn for the generous Northern Beat shout-out.]

She shoots, she scores

Áʼa꞉líya Warbus is the new MLA for Chilliwack-Cultus Lake and house leader for the Conservative caucus – an unusually senior position for a new MLA. Also remarkable, Warbus led the Official Opposition’s attack in her second question period ever.

Nothing’s more powerful than the truth. [Hansard TV]

What she said, and how she said it, landed like a slapshot on an open net.

Rookie mic drop

Another new MLA who made a dramatic entrance in the legislative arena was Skeena BC Conservative MLA and Kitimat tattoo artist, Claire Rattée, who challenged Premier David Eby on safe supply.

Instead of taking Rattée seriously, the Premier waved around a hot-off-the-press letter from the BC police chiefs association professing support for witnessed consumption. As if police backing a measure to reduce crime – shocker – could distract from years of govt inaction on diversion.

Rattée obviously knows a sidestep when she sees it.

Watch below.

She is staring straight at Eby. [Hansard TV]

Rattée is the only MLA we can recall in recent history who’s gotten the last word with a premier in question period.

Rob Shaw sat down with Rattée after her first question period to learn how her personal story is motivating her to push for change as the Opposition critic for mental health and addictions.

New feature: MLA fireside chat

Warbus and Rattée are two of many new faces among the 93 MLAs. To help you (and us) get to know them better, we’re going to keep bringing you one-on-one conversations with members from both sides of the house.

Other stories on the Northern Beat roster

Mike Morris explains how BC can leverage the province’s natural riches to reduce the skyrocketing deficit and boost our flagging revenues;

Rob’s predicts what the session will hold (also worth a few minutes is his interpretation of the war rhetoric in BC’s Throne Speech published in The Line – he honestly doesn’t sleep);

Shortly after her car was deliberately lit on fire, Gwen O’Mahony, a former NDP MLA-turned Conservative candidate, opened up to Northern Beat about the sometimes nasty attacks she’s endured for speaking out on controversial topics.

If all this legislative talk has whet your whistle on provincial politics, you can tune in with the rest of us Hansard geeks to watch or read the debates here.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading!

Hope the sun is shining and temperatures are warming wherever you may be.

Fran

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