In the News

NDP asks federal health minister for national mental health strategy for pregnant women, new moms

NDP health critic Don Davies has written to Health Minister Patty Hajdu asking her to develop a perinatal mental health strategy that would provide care to women over the period from conception to a year after a child is born.

"Canada does not have a comprehensive national strategy, mandate or directive to guide how health care practitioners should assess, diagnosis, treat or provide follow-up to individuals suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders," Davies said in the letter, being released publicly today.

Letter to the Minister Re: National Perinatal Mental Health Strategy

Perinatal mental health problems have doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. My Bill, #C306 would develop a national strategy to address this.

 

Today, I wrote the Health Minister calling on her to implement a national perinatal mental health strategy.

Working across party lines with Don Davies

MP Don Davies plays an important parliamentary role as the NDP Health Critic in the course of the pandemic. On this episode, Don and Nate discuss the importance of working across party lines, recent work together on the TRIPS waiver, and the need to put partisanship aside and deliver evidence-based drug policy reform to save lives.

You can read the letter calling our government to support the TRIPS waiver here, signed by over 80 parliamentarians from all parties.

Don and Nate are also co-chairs of the cannabis caucus together, alongside Conservative MP Scott Reid. 

PHAC has 15 court cases ‘in process’ in Saskatchewan for suspected quarantine rule-breakers

NDP MP Don Davies (Vancouver-Kingsway, B.C.) noted media reports about the lack of enforcement of quarantine rules have been circulating in recent weeks, specifically in Calgary, one of the four airports that international flights have been limited to landing in.

Allegation of sexual misconduct against Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin referred to Quebec prosecution office

NDP MP Don Davies, health critic, said the development was “disturbing and disappointing.”

“It’s important to bear in mind that people have a right to due process,” said Davies. But Davies said “it’s yet another unfortunate example of the epidemic of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the armed forces.

Canada told to use AstraZeneca doses or return them to COVAX

NDP health critic Don Davies said Canada needs to return the COVAX doses immediately.

"When they first decided to do it there was an immediate reaction from all sorts of sources," he said. "It didn't make sense then and it's case closed now."

Health care providers, advocates cry foul over stalled action on pharmacare

NDP health critic Don Davies said he worries Canadians are increasingly becoming cynical about politicians who promise things, such as pharmacare, during elections and then don’t follow through.

“They continue to tell Canadians that they believe in pharmacare, yet opportunity after opportunity after opportunity to act on that promise passes.”

Anand reminds Canadians that Trudeau, O'Toole, Singh all received AstraZeneca

NDP health critic Don Davies said it’s time vaccine advice be streamlined into one avenue to prevent hesitancy and confusion.

“First of all, I got the AstraZeneca shot too so I’ve got these questions as well. I think it’s important to note that Canadians are really tired and they’re hurt,” he said. “I’d like to see the federal government, NACI, and Health Canada speak with one voice, we can’t have any more of these contradictions and confusion.”

Trudeau won’t state position on COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver as pressure from MPs grows

NDP MP Don Davies noted how rare it is for MPs from all parties to unite on an issue. He said the MPs call on Canada to “immediately support” the waiving of intellectual property trade rules that “are working to prevent countries from producing COVID vaccines.”

NEWS CONFERENCE: MPs to discuss cross-partisan COVID-19 patent wavier initiative

OTTAWA —MPs from all five major parties are calling on the Government of Canada to support the patent waiver proposed at the WTO by India and South Africa to increase global vaccine production.

A joint letter has been released with signatures from over 60 MPs across all parties, in an unprecedented demonstration of cross-partisan support.

Media is invited to a news conference at 12:00pm EDT on Friday, May 7, 2021, where representatives from all Parliamentary caucuses have been invited to speak to this historic initiative.

Confirmed speakers include: Don Davies, MP (Vancouver Kingsway), Marcus Powlowski, MP (Thunder Bay—Rainy River), Luc Thériault, MP (Montcalm), and Elizabeth May, MP (Saanich—Gulf Islands).