Ottawa - Justice Minister David Lametti said: "There is currently no bigger discussion about decriminalization, aside from the specific measure taken in British Columbia."

Lametti made these remarks ahead of the expected vote on a private member's bill from the New Democratic Party to decriminalize personal possession of drugs nationwide. He pointed out that this file is being handled by the Minister of Health.

For his part, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government will not pursue decriminalization with other jurisdictions without establishing "order and support."

Trudeau says the government has followed this approach with British Columbia, by building capacity and providing many ways to support people, such as projects that provide safe supplies of illicit drugs.

Conservative MP Brad Vis, representing Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon, says he does not believe decriminalization will fix the crisis in British Columbia without improving access to addiction treatments and mental health support.

B.C.'s three-year exemption from federal drug laws means that people with small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use will not have their drugs seized by the police.

MP Vis adds that the province is already applying a "decriminalization" law, as most police officers have not arrested people merely for possessing these substances in certain amounts, and no charges have been filed against them.

Editing: Dima Abu Khair