In the News

Mounting deaths stemming from police wellness checks a ‘wake-up call,’ says Senator

The deaths represent an “inappropriate use of force in mental health situations,” he said, and are a “tragic result” and product of decades of lack of investment.

Training for officers needs to be “overhauled,” said Mr. Davies, his party’s health critic, who said he wants police removed from the front lines when it comes to wellness checks that could be done by someone else.

“A number of the issues that we’re asking police to intervene in are more properly identified and handled as health care or even social issues as opposed to criminal ones,” he said, calling for upstream investment.

Government must treat opioid overdoses as a national public health emergency

Earlier today, NDP Health Critic, Don Davies, issued the following statement:
 

"The number of Canadian lives being lost to opioid overdoses during the COVID-19 outbreak is staggering, alarming, and growing. Today, I am calling on the federal government to declare the overdose epidemic a national public health emergency, and for national action and leadership.

Champagne says he repaid mortgages owed to state-run Bank of China, after facing scrutiny from opposition

Mr. Champagne dismissed suggestions that he made the decision because of concerns that the optics were “problematic,” responding to a question from NDP MP Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway, B.C.). 

“I took out a mortgage many years ago with a bank in London, that’s what I’ve disclosed,” he said to Mr. Davies. “I feel very transparent, because as a lawyer, I take my ethical responsibility very carefully. I read the letter of the law at all times. This is a bank in London, with branches in London.” 

Airlines face MPs’ frustration over health concerns, lack of refunds

Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam has called the 14-day quarantine for arrivals from abroad a “cornerstone” of pandemic policy, New Democrat health critic Don Davies noted.

“When we start to relax our standards, we may be actually just be walking into a second phase,” he said, citing flare-ups in Australia, New Zealand and multiple U.S. states following looser restrictions.

Baden-Powell, Trutch, Begbie among landmark names with troubling histories

"I think people who are associated with slavery or other odious policies or crimes against humanity shouldn't have buildings named after them," said East Vancouver MP Don Davies, who points out the man never stepped foot in Canada and has no ties to the area. "History does change and our values change and we can't be afraid to change with them. I think we have to be prepared to act because it's not just about words, it's about having the courage as a society."

Change proposed for Vancouver school named after U.K. prime minister with links to slavery

As calls to decolonize B.C. grow against the backdrop of anti-racism and Black Lives Matter movements, NDP MP Don Davies says Gladstone Secondary School needs a new name.

"I think it's time that we looked at renaming institutions of higher learning and other important buildings that have been named after people associated essentially with crimes against humanity and really odious policies," said Davies about the school in his Vancouver-Kingsway riding.

The school's namesake, William Ewart Gladstone, belonged to a family that owned over 2,000 slaves who worked on Caribbean plantations where the Gladstones made their fortune.  

'Alarmed:' Health critic calls for more data on COVID-19 in trucking industry

Davies said truck drivers crossing the border should be tested and data should be collected at a federal level so as to know the risks involved in fully reopening the economy.

"That's important not only for the health and safety of the truckers and their families, but for the community at large."

 

Long-Term Care Crisis - As It Happens

The crisis in Canada's long-term care facilities has revealed the danger of putting profit ahead of the health of our seniors.

This week, I spoke with CBC's As It Happens about what needs to be done, including federal leadership and bringing long-term care under the Canada Health Act.

COVID-19 Emergency Report

Our COVID-19 Emergency Report is landing on doorsteps across Vancouver Kingsway. In order to enable greater accessibility, we will now also be publishing all of our print communications online. You can check it out here!

 

 

CTV Power Play - Crisis in Long-Term Care

The long-term care crisis is a national problem. We would never tolerate this kind of treatment in our hospitals.

It is time bring long-term care under the Canada Health Act.

Federal funding must be tied to strong national standards that are enforced, good working conditions, proper patient-care ratios and public delivery.