Canada now exporting fentanyl to other countries
An internal memo prepared for the Department of Foreign Affairs revealed how fentanyl developed in Canada is being shipped out of the country and around the world.
Canada is now exporting fentanyl, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs, which noted supplies of Canadian-sourced fentanyl were seized in the United States and Australia.
“Seizures of clandestine laboratories in Canada indicate fentanyl is being produced in Canada,” the department noted in a memo on June 17, reported Blacklock's Reporter.
“Seizures of Canada-sourced fentanyl in places like the United States and Australia suggest domestic production is likely exceeding domestic demand and that Canada is now a source and transit country for fentanyl to some markets.”
The briefing suggests the development of the drug has shifted. Previously, China and Mexico were largely seen as sources of origin for fentanyl, with precursor drugs being shipped from Asia to North America for refining before hitting the illegal market in the U.S.
China has now “shifted from manufacturing and exporting finished product to exporting fentanyl precursors,” the memo shared by Blacklock's says. Despite the drug being banned in the country, China remains the primary developer of many pharmaceutical chemicals.
Canadian foreign affairs officials noted that the Chinese Communist Party views the opioid epidemic as a “North American problem.”
In an effort to address the crisis, the federal government and some provincial governments, have explored decriminalizing hard drugs. British Columbia, in particular, initially launched a three-year decriminalization pilot program but swiftly abandoned the initiative after just one year as chaos, public disorder, and a surge in overdoses spiralled out of control.
“Decriminalization is not the cause of the overdose deaths we are seeing,” Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks said earlier this year.
“While we are caring and compassionate for those struggling with addiction, we do not accept street disorder that makes communities feel unsafe,” Premier David Eby announced after reversing course.
Despite the failure in B.C., Toronto wanted to launch a similar program in the city — only for the federal government to rebuke that request. A statement from Minister Saks said it failed to “adequately protect public health and maintain public safety.”