June 20, 2022 – Tomorrow, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) will mark National Indigenous Peoples Day, an important time to celebrate the diverse histories, achievements, and cultures of Indigenous people across the land now known to many as Canada. June 21 is also a day to reflect on how much remains to be done on the journey of reconciliation.
News
June 2, 2022 – As long-time supporters of a public health approach to substance, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) is deeply disappointed in the results of yesterday’s vote on Bill C-216, the Health-based Approach to Substance Use Act. The Bill would have decriminalized small amounts of substances for personal use and developed multiple other pathways to ensuring substance use is treated as a health issue, and not a criminal issue.
June 1, 2022 - CASW and the British Columbia Association of Social Workers (BCASW) welcomes the decriminalization of small amounts of illicit substances in principle but warns that the change does not go far enough to have the intended outcome of reducing stigma and saving lives.
May 27, 2022 - Bill C-216, the Health-based Approach to Substance Use Act, would, if passed, decriminalize the personal use of substances and lead to the creation of a National Strategy on Substance Use Act. CASW is strongly supportive of these steps toward a public health approach to drug policy, and has drafted a letter of support.