Drug overdose deaths have gone down compared to this time last year but one local candidate in next week’s federal election thinks his party could be doing more.

Speaking on the NL Morning News, Liberal candidate for the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding, Terry Lake said what he would do if constituents send him to Ottawa. “As a federal MP I would push to make sure that we declare a national public health emergency on opioid overdoses that we would mobilize resources so that we are in communities where need that help.”

Lake was asked if he thought the current Liberal government has done enough to combat the opioid crisis. “I think there’s a lot more we can do.”

“The Liberal government is not in favour at this time of decriminalizing all personal use of drugs, but I want to drive that conversation within the Liberal party because I think unless we start treating this as a health problem rather than a criminal problem we really won’t make the gains we need to make.”

And what about legalizing all drugs across the board?

“No, we’re not legalizing hard drugs and you know that’s been said, of course the Conservatives like to say that.”

“Never gonna happen but I believe we need to take a different approach to the way we treat people and work with people that have problematic substance use.”