British Columbia Legislature 42nd Parliament, 2nd Session (2021) Statements, 21 Oct 2021

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From YouTube: OCTOBER 21 2021 Statements Adam Olsen

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The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament

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Member for sanitary north hand, islands. Mr speaker, I stand here today feeling grateful to be alive. Earlier this summer I was invited by leslie mcbain to speak at the august 31st vigil for overdose awareness day.

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I feel like I'm a lucky one. I said, as I looked out from the podium to the audience family members of those british columbians who were not so lucky.

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I felt the love and the understanding of those family members. I felt the love and support of our chief coroner lisa lapointe and our representative of children and youth jennifer charleswork, who would speak after me about the poisonous drug supply and the thousands of people that they have encountered that were not so lucky to survive.

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My twenties were rough tobacco, coffee, sugar, cannabis, cocaine. I had an unhealthy relationship with myself and I abused these substances. I am indeed a lucky one.

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I shared my story yesterday with rob shaw and I'm sharing in this chamber today, because I feel a duty to be a positive voice in breaking down the stigmatization of people who use abuse or who are addicted to illicit substances.

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My peers are dying at a shocking rate. In recent weeks, I have been surrounded by the sadness and despair. We are not acting quickly enough.

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Between january and july of this year, 1204 people perished due to illicit drug toxicity. 79 percent of the deaths in 2021 are males, mostly 30 to 59.

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85 percent are dying in their residence. Luck should not be the only factor determining whether someone dies or goes on to win. Four elections becomes a community leader, a husband and the father of two incredibly amazing children.

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I can never be as grateful as I need to be for my partner emily because she didn't know it at the time, but she saved my life and now I look to this chamber and ask that we move with great urgency so that more friends and families don't need luck to make their contribution to their community.