Will ‘Good Samaritan Drug Overdose’ Act save lives? > Private member’s bill promises to exempt drug possession charges when calling 911 Aaron Guillen Staff Reporter C has seen its unfortunate share of deaths due to drug overdoses. According to the BC’s Coroner Service, 465 people died due to illegal overdoses, an increase of 27 per cent compared to 2014. A local MP is vying to save lives with his latest private member’s bill. Rob McKinnon, Liberal Coquitlam- Port Coquitlam MP, has placed all his cards on the table with the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Bill, which he hopes will save countless lives across the province and potentially the country. Yearning for change, McKinnon presented the bill to Parliament on February 22. Dubbed the “Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act,” the bill will ensure that those who call gu during a drug overdose will not be charged with possession. Notably, pardon from charges will also be applied to witnesses, but not to those who are involved with trafficking or impaired driving. McKinnon brought reality to the forefront in his press statement, saying that Canadians should care for everyone, from their family members, to neighbours, to new immigrants in the country. If the bill is passed, he’s convinced, without a doubt, that citizens won't run away from drug overdose situations, but rather call authorities to assist and save a life. “Hopefully, they'll pick up the phone and save someone's son or daughter.” Notable stakeholders, including Donald MacPherson, Ontario budget to eliminate tuition for low-income families > Plan for expanded grants in Ontario budget applauded by student groups Dialog Staff The Dialog (George Brown College) “ Fo college and university students who come from families with incomes of less than $50,000, average tuition will be free,” said Ontario’s minister of finance Charles Sousa in his speech announcing the 2016 Ontario budget. The government plans to scrap tuition and education tax credits, replacing them with non-repayable grants that will be given upfront to students by 2017-18. The budget says that no student will receive less than they did through the current Ontario Tuition Grant. OSAP debt levels will be capped at $10,000 a year for high-income families. “Tax credits did not provide assistance when students needed it, and they diverted aid money to those who did not need the help,” said Spencer Nestico- Semianiw, President of Ontario University Student Alliance. “For years, OUSA has led the push for tax credit funds to be repurposed into effective, up-front aid, and now that’s exactly what we'll be seeing.” The Ontario government said that they are merging existing financial assistance programs and grants offered by OSAP into a single program called the Ontario Student Grant. In the lead-up to the 2015 federal election, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals pledged to increase “the maximum Canada Student Grant for low-income students to $3,000 per year for full-time students, and to $1,800 per year for part- -. time students.” The Ontario Liberal’s budget promises for post-secondary students are dependent on its federal counterpart delivering on their campaign promise. “We have a lot to celebrate today with this commitment to fairness, equity, and justice for students,” said Gabrielle Ross-Marquette, national executive representative for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. “We hope this commitment will carry on into the development of a new tuition-fee framework that can build upon this investment and make higher education more affordable for all Ontarians.” The government is getting rid of the rule that limits the Ontario Tuition Grant to students who entered college and university within a few years of from high school, meaning mature students will now be able to qualify for the grants. Several post-secondary advocacy groups, including Image via @RonMcKinnonLib on twitter Image via thinkstock Director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, say that the barrier that makes the decision to call gu is removed, thus placing the value on lives first. Christiana Slater, Executive of Waterloo Regional Crime Prevention Council, asked a simple, yet powerful question to voice her agreement with MacPherson: “Based in our review of the evidence and our own study, this Private Member’s Bill would go a long way towards making the saving of lives our highest priority. Who could argue with that?” Notably, 34 states in the United States have some form of overdose immunity law. The bill had its introduction and first reading in Parliament on February 22 and is currently in the process of making its way through the House of Commons. McKinnon noted to Tri-City News that this bill “could happen in the spring, it might not happen until the fall” “With this parliament thing, it’s become clear to me that things move at a glacial pace.” Colleges Ontario, Canadian Federation of Students- Ontario, and the College Student Alliance recommended removing the limit in the lead up to today’s announcement. “There is a clear commitment to college education and helping greater numbers of students pursue the career- specific programs at colleges,” said David Agnew, president of Seneca College and chair of Colleges Ontario. The budget allocates $97 million over 3 years to support initiatives to help First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students. Of that $97 million, $5 million is for the province’s 9 Aboriginal Institutes. “Currently, there are multiple barriers hindering Aboriginal learners, mature students, and mature students with dependents from accessing PSE (post- secondary education),” said Ciara Byrne, director of advocacy for the College Student Alliance (CSA). “Today’s announcement showed the government’s commitment to making PSE accessible to all students. CSA is proud to be part of the process.”