Tri-City MP Ron McKinnon was the first sitting Liberal to have his number drawn in the House of Commons to introduce his private member's bill this session.
And, this week, Bill C-224 — better known as the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act — passed yet another parliamentary hurdle after it was scrutinized by the country's standing committee on health.
Yesterday, the newly elected MP for Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam appeared before the committee to speak about his bill's merits and its supporters.
Since February, when it received first reading in the House, McKinnon has collected numerous endorsements — including from Dr. Perry Kendall, B.C.'s provincial health officer — and recorded digital testimonies from Tri-City elected officials, emergency workers, faith-based counsellors and relatives of addicts who want to see the bill become legislation (to view the videos, go to ronmckinnon.org).
Last month, the bill received a unanimous second reading in the House and, on Wednesday, McKinnon spoke to the health committee for 30 minutes to address comments and concerns about the bill — the first overdoes immunity policy tabled in Canada.
"They were really drilling down," McKinnon said of the committee members. "They wanted to know things like, Is the victim protected from immunity? Yes, everybody at the scene is protected… because you want them to render assistance."
Last week, the BC Coroners Service said 308 people died from accidental illicit drug overdoses between January and May 2016 — a 75% increase over the same period last year. Fentanyl was responsible for more than half of the deaths.
Next week, McKinnon's bill is expected to go through another committee study to review each clause, he said. If it is passed, it returns to the House — with or without amendments — for the report stage. And if that's successful, third reading will be held sometime this fall before moving to the Senate for consideration.
Also supporting McKinnon's bill is Port Moody-Coquitlam MP Fin Donnelly, who is expected to see one of his private member's bills or motions brought forward this fall.
Donnelly, the NDP critic for Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard, has three bills and four motions — or statements of intent — to pick from when his number is up: for bills, closed containment aquaculture (fish farms); banning importation of shark fins; and extending employment insurance for sick people from 15 to 50 weeks.
Donnelly said he has been working on the fish farms bill for a while now and even has support from Star Trek actor William Shatner.
"A lot of work and consultation has been done on that already," Donnelly said, adding, "but what I bring forward will be a combination of priorities, timing and the likelihood of success. I'm really passionate about salmon health and the impacts and threats to the wild salmon. This is really important to me. It's what I campaigned on."
McKinnon said he supports Donnelly's proposal in principle.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
