Nate believes in a sensible and evidence-based approach to drug policy, and that we can and should treat drug abuse as a health issue, and not as a crime.

Representing Canada at a United Nations Parliamentary Hearing in New York

In February 2016, Nate represented Canada as part of a delegation to a UN Parliamentary Hearing in New York on the topic of “The World Drug Problem: Taking Stock and Strengthening the Global Response.” He participated in a debate alongside a Mexican Senator, arguing that governments “should seek alternatives to incarceration when addressing possession of drugs for personal use.” Read more about the event here and here.

A public health approach for all drug possession and use

Nate believes that the war on drugs has been an abject failure, and that we should regulate and restrict access to substances according to their respective harms.

He has long called for more a more proactive approach to address the poisoned drug crisis in Canada, he sponsored a caucus policy resolution to treat drug use as a health issue, and one of his private member’s bills was adopted by the government to take a more health-focused approach. Bill C-5, now law, will make it virtually impossible to prosecute simple possession and will divert people out of the criminal justice system to the health system.

Our federal government has expanded safe consumption sites across Canada, issued federal directives to prosecutors to avoid drug possession charges, and delivered federal funding to expand treatment options and safer supply.

In April 2021, Nate spoke in the house (virtually) in support of Bill C-22, legislation that will end certain mandatory minimum sentences, restore conditional sentences, and bring a more sensible approach to drug policy.

Nate has and will continue to speak openly about the need to treat drug use as a health issue and a comprehensive approach to the poisoned drug crisis that is grounded in evidence and compassion. including in a take note debate on the opioid crisis in February 2022.

In 2022 Nate appeared again on a segment of TVO’s The Agenda, leading into the Political Blind Date show with Conservative colleague Garnett Genuis to discuss the opioid crisis. Available here.

Nate has used his podcast as a platform to engage with experts on this topic, as well as to express support for the efforts made in support of drug decriminalization put forward by parliamentary colleagues. Guests have included Ben Perrin & Louise Arbour.

Click here to listen.

In his own words:

We can, and should, treat drug use and abuse as a health issue and not as a crime. Our government has committed to a sensible and evidence-based approach to drug policy; that approach is emphasized by the recent task force report on cannabis regulation, and it is emphasized by our health minister‘s actions. Those include restoring harm reduction as a key pillar of Canada’s drug strategy, permitting physicians to prescribe heroin to severe drug addicts, and introducing Bill C-37, effectively repealing the previous Conservative government’s attack on evidence and supervised consumption sites.

Prohibition treats the very people we want to help, the victims, the users, the addicts, as criminals. Looking outside of Canada, we know there is a better path.

In 2001, Portugal decriminalized low-level possession and use of all drugs. Those caught with drugs are sent before dissuasion commissions, which include representatives from law, medicine, and social work. More than 80% of cases are dismissed without sanction, and the number of people arrested and sent to criminal courts declined by more than 60%. There has been no major increase in drug use. In fact, the level of drug use is below the European average. Adolescent and problematic drug use has decreased, and the number of deaths from drug overdoses has dropped significantly.

I am not suggesting that I have all of the answers, but I am asking our government and this House to consider additional public health and harm reduction measures. I am asking us to work together to save lives.

Cannabis legalization and regulation

Nate was always strong supporter of our government’s promise to legalize cannabis.

In May 2017, Nate delivered a speech in the House of Commons in support of the Cannabis Act:

We have struck that balance between Canadians as responsible adults and a public health approach. Legislation on this subject that satisfies a civil libertarian like myself and a former police chief, like my neighbour from Scarborough Southwest, is no easy feat. CAMH supports our public health approach, as does the Canadian Nurses Association.

Nate has also asked a number of questions of his Conservative colleagues in the House on this issue, pointing out that alcohol has many more risks of harm than cannabis:

In November 2017, he appeared in the first episode of TVO’s new series Political Blind Date, to debate cannabis legalization with drug prohibitionist and Conservative MP, Garnett Genius. You can watch the show online here.

Nate also appeared on a segment of TVO’s The Agenda, leading into the Political Blind Date show, available here.

With the Cannabis Act on its way to becoming law, Nate has turned his attention to advocacy on behalf of patients opposed to the excise tax on medical cannabis, and to an expedited record suspension process to undo the damage of criminal records related to cannabis.

Nate has consistently been vocal against giving Canadians criminal records for small possession of cannabis or consuming cannabis. He was the only member of the Liberal caucus to vote in support of immediately decriminalizing cannabis while the government pursued legalization. Nate said: “Decriminalization is a half measure, but a half measure is better than no measure.”