Not too expensive: B.C. still needs public inquiry on overdose crisis, says PoCo mayor

PORT COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) – Despite the premier saying it’s too expensive, a Metro Vancouver mayor wants B.C. to hold a public inquiry into the overdose crisis, saying it could help solve the province’s biggest problems.

Port Coquitlam’s new mayor Brad West wants an inquiry as soon as possible, saying that brushing it off because of the cost is irresponsible.

West says it’s time for the province to seriously act against those involved in bringing deadly opioids into B.C.

“To say that, all the sudden, we’re concerned about how much it would cost to get to the bottom of this, it’s just simply unacceptable,” he says. “Think about how much money government just spent trying to stop an otter from eating some koi fish.”

With hundreds of people losing their lives from the opioid epidemic, B.C. can’t afford to wait any longer take action, he says.

He says it’s troubling, calling the province a ‘playground’ for drug smugglers, those who launder money, and impact the housing market.

“Fentanyl is pouring into our province from China, it’s killing thousands of people,” he says. “There’s organized crime that’s making billions of dollars, and then they’re washing that dirty money clean in our real estate and pricing people out of their own communities. It’s just an absolute travesty.”

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He said that if the situation were reversed, and Canadians were creating and profiting from fentanyl manufacturing, with overdoses and housing markets being impacted in China, “the Chinese government would probably be banging down Justin Trudeau’s door.”

Horgan says the public doesn’t want another inquiry, which would cost too much money, and eventually end up on a shelf.

Instead, he says the province needs to prosecute those involved and adds B.C. needs help from the federal government.