Philippine Asian News Today | Page 8

A8 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY July 16 - 31, 2016 HEADLINES Governor General to be Canada’s official representative at Rio 2016 Olympic Games Ottawa, Ontario- The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada and patron of the Canadian Olympic Committee, will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 3 to 8, 2016 as Canada’s official representative at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games—the first Olympic Games to be held in South America—will be an opportunity for Canadian athletes to write another chapter in our country’s rich sports history. Our athletes, as well as their coaches and support staff, have demonstrated tremendous dedication and commitment to rise to a level where they are competing against the best in the world. The Government of Canada is proud of its role in helping Canadian athletes realize their Olympic dreams. It is the largest single investor in Canada’s sport system, providing funding for initiatives that support our highperformance athletes and that promote sport participation among all Canadians. New Democrats propose legislation to restrict the use of pill presses used for fentanyl VICTORIA— Today, New Democrat public safety spokesperson, Mike Farnworth, tabled provincial legislation to restrict the use of pill presses and other equipment as part of the province’s response to the overdose crisis. “This legislation exercises provincial powers to restrict the use of pill presses and other pharmaceutical equipment to reduce the supply of illegally manufactured and distributed fentanyl that is a major factor in the overdose crisis,” said Farnworth. “It is similar to legislation that was passed with all-party support in Alberta a few short months ago, and I hope to see it passed with all-party support in B.C. “Alberta legislators decided to exercise their jurisdiction to take steps against the illegal production of illicit opioids, instead of waiting for the federal government to take action.” Today, Premier Christy Clark reiterated the approach her cabinet ministers have taken over the past months, calling for the federal government to take action on pill presses. “The premier is prepared to wait, New Democrats aren’t,” said Farnworth. Farnworth’s legislation, titled the Public Health Protection Act, amends ex- isting provincial statute to fines for illegal ownership wards to $375,000 and imrestrict who can own and of the equipment listed in prisonment. operate equipment like pill the act, with fines of upand tablet presses as well as tablet machines. Pill presses can manufacture 3,000 pills of fentanyl hourly, while commercial tablet machines can produce 10,000 to 18,000 pills per hour. The tabled legislation sets out significant WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM