Beyond the headlines – B.C.’s toxic drug crisis

Join B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender with leading experts, Lisa Lapointe, former B.C. Chief Coroner and Jonny Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA BC Division), for the fourth discussion of Beyond the Headlines series addressing B.C.’s toxic drug crisis.

Register to submit questions during the conversation and watch the livestream on our website at: bchumanrights.ca/beyond-the-headlines

Ranging from misinformation about the crisis to the marginalization that drug users experience to the effectiveness of community-led responses and what it means to take a human rights-based approach, the livestreamed virtual discussion will explore the following questions:

• Why is the toxic drug crisis a human rights issue?

• How are stigma and bias contributing to a lack of meaningful and evidence-based action addressing the toxic drug crisis and contributing to inadequate social policy, rooted in ableism, classism and racism?

• What can a human rights-based approach to the toxic drug crisis, centered on compassion and public health, look like as opposed to a criminal justice response?

The discussion will include audience questions via a live Q & A.

Background: The toxic drug crisis & human rights

The toxic drug crisis has led to the deaths of over 16,000 people since B.C. declared a public health emergency in 2016 (as of 2025), and thousands more have been seriously injured. Unregulated drug toxicity is now the leading cause of death in B.C. for people aged 19 to 59.

The toxic drug crisis is not only a public health emergency, but also a human rights crisis impacting many of B.C.’s most vulnerable people. This is described in the Commissioner’s recently released position paper on the toxic drug crisis, which outlines her positions and calls for an evidence-based response.

This event will also feature a screening of the newest video in BCOHRC’s I Love My Human Rights storytelling series, which is being released on Nov. 25. In the video, Guy Feilicella, a former drug user, shares his personal journey through addiction and recovery and shows us what is possible when we take a human rights-based approach to substance use.

We hope you join us for this important discussion on December 10th from 1:30-3:00pm PST by registering for this live webinar event here!

The discussion will also be livestreamed on the BCOHRC website at bchumanrights.ca/beyond-the-headlines