Quebec government rejects the idea of a plan to combat date-rape drugs

The opposition in the national assembly is criticizing the CAQ government's refusal to provide Quebec with a provincial plan to combat date-rape drugs.

On Thursday, the members of the committee on health and social services met to decide whether to study a petition calling for such a plan.

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) used its majority to block the initiative, explaining that it had already announced 11 measures last June concerning date-rape drugs.

"It's not enough," said the petition's sponsor, Liberal MNA Jennifer Maccarone, in an interview. "I have five universities in my constituency. No one knows about (the CAQ's measures)."

On June 21, Public Safety Minister François Bonnardel announced that he would be tackling the "scourge" of date-rape drug GHB and the "cowards" who put it in people's drinks -- mainly women's -- without their knowledge.

He launched an advertising campaign on social networks to remind people that it is a crime to do this. It was aimed primarily at men aged 18 to 35.

The minister also proposed providing better support for people who believe they have been drugged and to equip police forces to deal with people intoxicated with GHB or other drugs.

The minister wants to discuss the introduction of a certification mechanism for self-administered rapid tests for GHB to ensure their effectiveness with the federal government.

The CAQ government also launched the "check your glass" pilot project, distributing 10,000 protective glass covers in Montreal bars.

HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT

However, the petition sponsored by Maccarone calls for a province-wide plan to combat date-rape drugs, which would introduce "educational activities in secondary and post-secondary schools."

It would also aim to distribute free date-rape drug tests in colleges, universities, bars, nightclubs and outdoor festivals.

In addition, it would ensure the availability of blood and urine rape drug tests in health facilities.

"It's a missed opportunity, and it's a lack of understanding of what's happening on the ground today," said Maccarone, saying that she was "very disappointed."

"I personally know victims. Nobody knows what's going on at the government level. It's all very well to have a page on a website, but it's not updated on the ground," she added.

The Liberal MNA was also critical of the fact that the government is working "behind closed doors" instead of consulting the public on this issue.

PQ MNA Joël Arseneau also called the decision "deplorable," saying that "the CAQ is arguing that its awareness-raising approach is enough. We don't think so," he said.

"The issues of prevention, data collection and screening remain unresolved. A [provincial] action plan would show that the government is taking this issue seriously," he added.

DOUBTS ABOUT SELF-TESTING

In a written statement, Isabelle Poulet, one of the CAQ MNAs sitting on the health committee, said she understood that people were concerned "as parliamentarians, but also as parents."

"We have to take action, and that's what we're doing," she said. "In concrete terms, all the points in the petition have already been addressed in our plan, with the exception of self-testing, which is not an appropriate solution."

At the moment, there is no approved self-test for date-rape drugs in Canada.

"The partners in the field, i.e. police forces, victim support organizations and toxicology experts believe that using a test whose reliability has not been proven lowers the guard of users and poses a risk to their health," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 22, 2023.