Some mothers whose sons died of drug overdoses demanded an apology from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland after she mocked Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s appearance instead of answering a question about the overdose crisis.
During Question Period in the House of Commons, Poilievre criticized the Liberal government’s inflationary economic policies and their approach to the drug overdose crisis.
“They think that you can get down debt by borrowing more, that you stop inflation by printing money and that you fight the drug overdose crisis by legalizing hard drugs. So at least they’re consistent in their irrationality,” Poilievre said. “Now, they’ve been forced to backtrack right before the election on their legalization of hard drugs. Because Canadians are revolting against the policy.”
The Liberal government approved the decriminalization of hard drugs in B.C. but had to reverse course due to an influx of overdose deaths.
Poilievre asked if the government would support a Conservative motion to “permanently” ban hard drugs across Canada. He claimed that if the Liberals did not support the motion it indicated that the government would “legalize” drugs after the election.
Rather than addressing the question about the government’s response to the overdose crisis, Freeland took shots at Poilievre’s appearance.
“The Conservative leader is wearing more makeup than I am today,” Freeland said.
“Now I think that’s wonderful,” she added before being interrupted by an outraged Conservative caucus.
The speaker asked Freeland to withdraw her comments, as MPs are not allowed to comment on the appearance of others, and she agreed to withdraw them.
She used her remaining time to criticize Poilievre further.
“The Conservative leader is phony all the way through. He is phony when it comes to his concern about the economy, all he can do is talk our country down. And he is phony when he talks about his concern about the opioid crisis he tries to score cheap partisan points. It’s just not right,” Freeland said.
Sheri Erickson’s son died of a drug overdose when he was 22 years old in 2017.
Erickson told True North that Freeland’s mockery of Poilievre, after asking an important and serious question, was a mockery of the thousands of families who have suffered through addiction and drug overdoses.
“These were real people who died. These families are real people who are left behind to try and pick up the pieces and educate others so they don’t travel the same road,” Erickson said. “Freeland’s response is that he’s wearing more makeup than she is. What the f*ck is going on in that House of Commons? While people are dying in the streets, she’s talking about makeup!”
She said Freeland’s lack of seriousness towards the issue was a “slap in the face” to all those “left behind” by the drug overdose crisis.
“She needs to make a public apology. There are thousands of families who go through this every single year…she basically made a mockery of them,” Erickson said. “For whatever reason, these people are using drugs, and for her to make a mockery of them and their families. It’s disgusting.”
“It’s a bloody clown show in there,” she said. “Canada is not a serious country.”
Erickson is an advocate for having treatment available to those who want help escaping addiction. However, she thinks the government policies which provide drugs to users are not helping the drug crisis.
Stacey Monette, a mother who also lost her child to drugs called Freeland’s comments “disgraceful” on X.
“I demand an apology from Chrystia Freeland on behalf of myself & every other Canadian mother who has lost a child to drug overdose,” Monette said on X.
Mioara Whytock also lost her child to drugs. Whytock also demanded an apology on the platform.
“Freeland’s answer to Poilievre (during Question Period) today regarding the opioid crisis is unacceptable and extremely disgraceful,” she said. “Everyone who lost a loved one due to the opioid crisis deserves an apology from Freeland.”
