Question Period (30 April 2026)

From Hansard (30 April 2026)

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Measures to Prevent Children’s Exposure to Drugs

April ChiefCalf: — Mr. Speaker, these children deserve specifics, and they deserve answers. Their lives should not be lost in vain. Three children in their first year of life died after exposure to toxic drugs. The advocate found that there was no clear evidence of how these children were exposed. This means that more children could be at risk, and a single life lost is one too many.

What steps has the Premier taken to identify how these exposures happened and ensure that no more children lose their life or are hospitalized because of toxic drugs?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And to echo the Premier’s statement, a loss of life of any child in this province, or anywhere for that matter, is unacceptable. And we work extremely closely with the child and youth advocate; we’ve worked closely with the advocate in previous years. We’ll continue to do that work.

Our ministry officials are going to be meeting and discussing this issue with the advocate. And again this is something we’re extremely concerned about, you know, with children being exposed to illicit drugs, and addressing the substance use is a key priority of this government, Mr. Speaker.

We’re taking the active steps to address this through our Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions, and our ministry is going to be working very closely with the child and youth advocate in this matter. Thank you.

 

Brent Blakley: — Mr. Speaker, there is no more important job for a government than protecting the most vulnerable, these 13 children lost before they even had a chance for a life because of fentanyl, methamphetamines, or cocaine. Two grains of fentanyl can kill a child.

The Premier and the ministers over there have a duty to protect the children and infants. Yesterday we called on the Premier to meet with the advocate to hear her concerns and recommendations on how to end this crisis. Mr. Speaker, people in this province want to know. Has the Premier spoken with the advocate, and on what date will he be meeting with her?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And again, with regards to the child and youth advocate, that is an office that this ministry works very closely with in the past and at present. And we will work with the advocate in the future to address something of this nature that is extremely, extremely serious, Mr. Speaker.

The loss of life of any child — or even an injured child for that matter, Mr. Speaker — is completely unacceptable. And that work through our ministry with the advocate will be taking place with the goal of getting to a place where everyone is more comfortable. And we’re addressing this in a very meaningful way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

 

Brent Blakley: — Mr. Speaker, 13 children lost their lives between 2019 and 2025. The Premier has had seven years to act to ensure that no child loses their life to a tragedy like these children experienced. These children did nothing wrong, and yet they lost their lives to a drug crisis that has spiralled out of control, while this government offers only sympathies but nothing concrete to ensure that we don’t lose . . . we don’t lose another infant to a drug poisoning.

What new emergency supports will the Premier offer today to ensure that no more infants lose their lives to these senseless tragedies?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this is precisely why this is a government that does not believe there is any place in society for illicit drugs. Mr. Speaker, in this budget we have added additional investments in terms of 24-hour, seven-day-a-week family preservation services for children and families, Mr. Speaker, to address that precise issue. So when there is a family in crisis, we have child and family workers that are available to help them.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the child advocate report and working with the child and youth advocate, that is something that this ministry has done in the past and will continue to do so, especially in this particular case.

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