Health experts and police officers from across the country gathered in Calgary on Monday to attend a two-day conference discussing the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
Fentanyl Conference 2016, titled An Alberta Perspective: What we Know Now, will discuss everything from the toxicology and effects of fentanyl to public prosecution strategies.
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Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley, MLA for Calgary-West Mike Ellis and Calgary Police Service Deputy Chief Trevor Daroux provided opening remarks.
In his speech, Ellis, a member of the Progressive Conservatives, called on the NDP government to declare a public state of emergency and create a collaborative, all-party Opioid Abuse Advisory Committee.
“Fentanyl-related deaths in Alberta continue to climb and that’s a great concern,” Ellis said. “We are in the middle of a crisis and it should be treated as such.”
“When it comes to overdose deaths, this transcends political party lines. We all need to work together to find new and innovative approaches to dealing with the growing trend of opioid abuse.”
Ganley said declaring a public health emergency gives the government certain powers, none of which would assist them currently.
“In this case, it’s much more helpful, I think, to continue assuring that we can address that demand side – in addition to that supply side.”
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Ganley said the drug continues to present a “significant danger to the people of Alberta,” with 153 deaths associated with fentanyl in the province in the first six months of 2016, compared with 139 over the same period last year.
In total, there were 274 deaths associated with fentanyl in Alberta in 2015, according to Alberta Health Services.
Ganley indicated her ministry was focusing on four key areas: harm reduction, public education, improving access to treatment and law enforcement.
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Members of the Calgary and Edmonton Police Service will also be speaking at the two-day event, as well as first responders and members of the Canadian Border Services Agency.
Each day of the conference will wrap up with a powder re-processing lab demonstration using lab equipment seized during police investigations.
The conference will move to Edmonton on Thursday for an additional two days.
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