The opposition in the National Assembly deplores the refusal by the CAQ government to provide Quebec with a national plan to combat date rape drugs.
On Thursday, members of the Health and Human Services Committee met to decide whether to consider a petition calling for such a plan.
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) used its majority to block the initiative, explaining that it had already announced 11 measures last June concerning date rape drugs.
“It’s not enough,” reacted the sponsor of the petition, the liberal Jennifer Maccarone, in an interview. I have five universities in my riding. Nobody knows [des mesures de la CAQ]. »
On June 21, the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, announced that he was tackling the “scourge” of GHB and the “cowards” who put it in the glasses of people – mainly women – without their knowledge.
He launched an advertising campaign on social networks to remind people that it is criminal to act in this way. It mainly targeted men aged 18 to 35.
The minister also proposed better support for people who believe they have been drugged, and to equip the police to deal with people poisoned with GHB or other drugs.
He wanted to discuss with the federal government to set up an approval mechanism for self-administered rapid tests to detect GHB in order to ensure their effectiveness.
The CAQ government also launched the “Check your glass” pilot project in April by distributing 10,000 covers that protect glasses in Montreal bars.
“Great disappointment”
The petition sponsored by Ms. Maccarone, however, calls for a national plan to combat date rape drugs, which would establish “educational activities in secondary and post-secondary establishments”.
It would also aim to distribute free date-rape drug tests in CEGEPs, universities, bars, nightclubs and outdoor festivals.
Additionally, it would ensure the availability of blood and urine date-rape drug tests in health facilities.
“It’s a missed opportunity, and it’s a lack of understanding of what’s happening on the ground today,” railed Ms. Maccarone, claiming to be experiencing a “great disappointment.”
“I personally know victims. Nobody knows what is happening at the government level. It’s all well and good to have a page on a website, but it’s not updated on the ground,” she added.
The Liberal elected official also deplores that the government works “behind closed doors” instead of consulting the public on this issue.
PQ MP Joël Arseneau also speaks of a “deplorable” decision. “The CAQ argues that its awareness-raising approach is sufficient. We are not of this opinion,” he says.
“The challenges of prevention and collection of screening data remain unresolved. A national response plan would demonstrate that the government takes this issue seriously,” he added.
Doubts about self-testing
In a written statement, Isabelle Poulet, one of the CAQ deputies sitting on the Health Commission, said she understood that people feel challenged “as parliamentarians, but also as parents”.
“We have to act and that’s what we’re doing,” she says. Concretely, all the points of the petition have already been answered in our plan, except the self-test, since this is not an adequate solution.
“Currently, there is no self-test approved in Canada to screen for date rape drugs.
“Partners in the field, that is to say police forces, organizations that help victims, as well as toxicology experts, believe that the use of a test whose reliability has not been demonstrated lowers the guard of users and poses a risk to their health,” she explained.