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Following inquest, NDP renews call for opioid crisis to be declared a public health emergency

A coroner’s jury has recommended that the Ford government declare the opioid overdose epidemic a public health emergency following an examination into the death of Bradley Chapman. Official Opposition Mental Health and Addictions critic Bhutila Karpoche released the following statement in support:

“The findings of the inquest into Bradley Chapman’s death have underscored what health care experts, frontline workers and we in the NDP have been saying for quite some time now. The opioid crisis is real, it is relentless, and one of the critical things the province has to do in addressing it is declaring a state of emergency.

As Ontarians continue to grapple with the opioid crisis that claims thousands of Canadians’ lives every year, New Democrats once again call on the Ford government to step up and fight this crisis by immediately declaring a state of emergency.

We also call on Doug Ford to restore the $330 million a year in mental health funding he cut, and listen to public health and addictions experts’ calls for the opening of new life-saving overdose prevention sites.

The people of Ontario deserve a government that takes this crisis seriously and is prepared to take immediate action to save lives.”

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