Right now, Premier Jason Kenney is giving an update on opioid deaths in the province. It has officially been the deadliest year on record, with 904 deaths up until the end of October. #ableg
Kenney just said now that he feels the CERB benefit contributed to the crisis and allowed people struggling with addiction to buy more drugs. Cites a single source in Ottawa as proof.
In July, 142 people died from overdoses. This is a record high. Numbers dropped steadily month-by-month since then. Kenney says his heart goes out to the loved ones of those who died.
EMS responses also declined 36 per cent in October. Also a record high in the amount of naloxone kits given out. Kenney says he is cautiously optimistic that we are returning to pre-pandemic levels of opioid deaths.
The point of this press conference today is the launch of a new online dashboard that details opioid deaths and a lot of other related data. Much more information than the previous quarterly PDFs that were issued. healthanalytics.alberta.ca/SASVisualAnaly…
The Alberta Substance Use Surveillance System (ASUSS) will be the most comprehensive in Canada. If you're using it now, be warned it's pretty glitchy. Doesn't work well on IE and you should put your browser in fullscreen to get better usage.
Health officials told us that this dashboard can help government and experts deliver better care and outcomes. Can show where there are some gaps, indicates how many people go into treatment etc. Overall it's a great tool and will definitely be useful.
Kenney says this is just the start of their approach to change how they help people with addiction.
Some questions now, will continue providing some details. @albertareporter on the difficulty of opening rehab spots, consideration of reopening consumption sites that were closed?
Kenney says nothing has been closed, except for Lethbridge's ARCHES program (due to finance issues)
Kenney says nothing has been closed, except for Lethbridge's ARCHES program (due to finance issues)
Kenney says since ARCHES was closed, opioid deaths have declined in Lethbridge. 7 in August to 2 in September.
(Dashboard shows it was actually 3 in Sept. Another 3 died in Oct.)
Again adds that people spend their first and last dollars on drugs to feed addiction, and that has been fed by CERB.
@alanna_smithh asks how can Kenney say his plan is working when deaths are so high?
Kenney says there was a "rupture in treatment", drove them back to the streets. On Indigenous people, Kenney thinks people moved back home and left cities where treatment was available.
Kenney says there was a "rupture in treatment", drove them back to the streets. On Indigenous people, Kenney thinks people moved back home and left cities where treatment was available.
He says the whole year has been "abhorrent" with the pandemic, but he is happy to see more people go into treatment and wait lists get worked on.
In response to another question, Kenney says this dashboard doesn't help people with addiction but it will assist social agencies in particular to help them determine what the trends are.
Think Kenney actually said "aberrant" here, I misheard.
https://twitter.com/Tommy_Slick/status/1340062541771202560?s=20
There is now a completely ridiculous and absurd question from a so-called media outlet that opioid deaths are more than the "Wuhan Virus" and asks how Kenney can justify the public health response to COVID-19.
Kenney says this does raise an important question, though. Kenney says some of these addiction deaths were likely an indirect result of government policies. But he says it would be "grossly irresponsible" to just end all restrictions.
He does come out fervently here to explain how if we did not have the restrictions in place, we would be in a significantly worse situation.
I will note he did not denounce the xenophobic phrasing in the "question".
I will note he did not denounce the xenophobic phrasing in the "question".
Next question here from @gthomsonink about if Kenney can give any proof about his claims involving the CERB payments.
Kenney is looking for sources from CBC articles in particular. Says it's about risk management, yeah we need basic incomes but is there a better way to do it?
Kenney is looking for sources from CBC articles in particular. Says it's about risk management, yeah we need basic incomes but is there a better way to do it?
Kenney says they are trying to intervene by improving access to treatment and break the cycle of addictions.
Final question here in French. Cannot translate on my end.
And this is done. Kenney ends by wishing a Happy Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas.
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