Provincial Justice Minister Bernard Davis says the province is committed to stopping the flow of drugs to the province.
Davis was responding to the appointment of a so-called ‘fentanyl czar’ by Canadian officials to appease concerns raised by the new Trump administration in the United States.
Kevin Brosseau, a former RCMP officer with more than 20 years experience was named to the new post this week and will oversee the federal government’s efforts to shut down fentanyl production in Canada.
While Canada’s contribution to the fentanyl problem in the United States is relatively small, that doesn’t mean it’s not a concern, and Davis says we’ve seen the devastating impact here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
He says the province has made a number of “significant investments” in both the RNC and RCMP to “form that joint task force that really works on identifying where those drugs are coming in, who’s supplying those drugs to the people in our province, and we’re working at making sure those people are brought to justice,” says Davis. “We’re trying to get every drug off our streets that can hurt our people.”
Federal Public Safety Minister David McGuinty (CPAC)
Meanwhile, federal Public Safety Minister David McGuinty says the federal government is actively pursuing having Mexican drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations.
He says the issue surrounding fentanyl is a serious one that requires a multi-pronged approach.
McGuinty told reporters yesterday that Brosseau will play a pivotal role in helping to integrate “all of the factors at play as we wrestle this fentanyl crisis to the ground.” McGuinty described fentanyl as an issue that is international in scope and affects public health, law enforcement, prosecution and supply and demand. He says supply is their first target.
