In the News

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).

NDP MP pushing feds to cover dental care costs for uninsured Canadians

Millions of Canadians cannot afford to go to the dentist and the federal health critic wants Ottawa to do something about it.

The NDP tabled a private members motion Tuesday in the House of Commons, asking the federal government to establish a dental-care plan for uninsured Canadian families who have a household income of less than $90,000. 

ELLERTON: Time for feds to fix failing CRSB program

This debate has dominated Ontario political conversations since Ford’s tearful news conference last week, but this is not an Ontario issue alone. NDP MP Don Davies brought some much-needed perspective to the discussion, offering insights into regional variances. TLDR: This does not exist in other provinces:

“The simple truth is that no province in Canada — Liberal, Conservative, NDP, CAQ — has paid sick leave as a basic employment standard,” he tweeted. “Higher income employees generally get it, low paid don’t. This must change for social justice + public health reasons. It’s time.”

StatsCan data suggests private sector PPE procurement out of step with science

Mr. Davies said that PHAC’s guidelines “have changed over time, but to me it always seems like they’re behind the most current state of knowledge.”

He said there is an “urgent need for upgrading poorly ventilated buildings” but added “this is not an easy or quick solution.”

1.9M vaccine doses coming next week, but Canada could administer 3.1M: PHAC head

“The range varies between provinces and territories because of the different modes used (e.g., pharmacies, mass clinics, physician’s offices, etc.), population sizes, and vaccine supply. It is estimated that approximately 3.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine can be administered each week across the country,” Stewart said, responding to the question posed by NDP MP and health critic Don Davies.

The latest on the coronavirus outbreak for April 22

NDP MP Don Davies pointed to Ontario's struggles as an example of how the federal government has left too much decision-making to the provinces.

"It is refusing to use tools it has and is content to watch as provinces struggle instead of jumping in with supplementary resources," said Davies.

 

NDP Health Critic’s Statement on Budget 2021

Don Davies, NDP Health critic, issued the following statement: 

“Canadians are experiencing the most significant health crisis of our lives. We have come to depend on and value public health care delivery as never before. COVID-19 has also shone a harsh light on the serious and long-standing gaps in our system. 

Budget 2021 was an opportunity to build, repair and strengthen healthcare in Canada. Canada’s New Democrats were looking for bold steps and meaningful resources in a number of key areas that need and deserve attention. 

Lawmaker tables bill to decriminalize drug use as overdose deaths soar

The federal NDP health critic is pitching legislation to decriminalize drug use in Canada, seeking to treat substance use as a health issue during a lethal opioid crisis.

Vancouver Kingsway NDP MP Don Davies introduced a private member's bill today that would scrap Criminal Code provisions on drug possession, expunge criminal records for the same offence and mandate low-barrier access to a safe supply of medically regulated substances.

NDP MP Introduces Bill to Decriminalize Drugs in Canada

NDP health critic Don Davies is calling on Canada to decriminalize the simple possession of illicit substances and expand federal support for safe supply and harm reduction efforts to save lives amid the country’s worsening drug poisoning crisis.

NDP lawmaker tables bill to decriminalize drug use as overdose deaths soar

OTTAWA - An NDP lawmaker is tabling legislation to decriminalize drug use in Canada, seeking to treat it as a health issue amid a lethal opioid crisis.

New Democrat health critic Don Daviesintroduced a private member’s bill Thursday that would scrap Criminal Code provisions on drug possession, expunge criminal records for the same offence and mandate low-barrier access to a safe supply of medically regulated substances.