OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre lambasted the federal Liberals on Monday for not having yet approved British Columbia’s request to scale back its decriminalization policy for illicit drugs — a request made official on Friday.

The debate became heated in the House of Commons after Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya’ara Saks said that she had met with her B.C. counterpart and that she and Health Canada officials were reviewing the province’s exemption request.