Pubdate: Tue, 15 Aug 2006
Source: Drayton Valley Western Review (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 Bowes Publishers Limited
Contact: http://www.draytonvalleywesternreview.com/contact.php
Website: http://www.draytonvalleywesternreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/980
Author: Courtney Whalen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)

RECOMMENDATIONS STRIVE TO TACKLE METH

Drayton Valley Western Review -- Enhanced treatment programs, 
extensive education and more targeted policing when it comes to 
methamphetamine are all identified as top priorities as the Premier's 
Task Force on Crystal Meth prepares its final recommendations to be 
brought forward to the Province.

Drayton Valley Mayor Diana McQueen sits on the 12-member task force 
headed by Colleen Klein and Dr. Bob Westbury and she expects that, 
after months of public consultations and discussion, the final report 
and recommendations will be presented to the premier next month.

While the recommendations haven't been finalized yet, McQueen said 
the public can expect to see many of their own thoughts and ideas 
reflected in the final document. Key recommendations to the province 
will include establishing more treatment programs and centres for 
those struggling with addiction to the drug as well as expanding 
current programs.

The document will call for a broad education program aimed at younger 
children as well as young adults to help stop addiction before it 
begins and tougher law enforcement for meth-related crimes. McQueen 
said this would include putting more officers in place who can 
dedicate their time to dealing with drugs and drug-related crimes, 
similar to Drayton Valley's General Investigation Section.

Although the original timeline for the task force's recommendations 
was moved up in order to be presented to the provincial government 
before Premier Ralph Klein retires, McQueen feels the issue of 
methamphetamine in Alberta is significant enough that the 
recommendations would be looked on favourably by whoever becomes the 
new leader of the party.

"It didn't matter where we travelled across the province this was a 
priority and so I think that no matter who the leader is, it will be 
a priority to implement them (the recommendations)," she said.

For McQueen, who was a member of town council when Drayton Valley 
decided to tackle the emerging issue of meth in the community head 
on, being able to share that knowledge with other communities in the 
province is important.

"This was an initiative that Drayton Valley started," she said, 
pointing to the successful work done by the Building Safer 
Communities program to help combat meth. "So it's an honour to sit on 
the task force and have input into the recommendations."

She's proud of the recommendations the task force has been able to 
come up with but said one of the most rewarding aspects for her has 
been getting a chance to work with the different members of the task 
force and the public. Being able to meet with recovering meth addicts 
and those still struggling to beat addiction also helped her gain a 
perspective on the impact the recommendations of the task force could 
have across the province and beyond.

McQueen said she's received calls from other provinces who are 
waiting to see what the recommendations will be and if they could be 
used to tackle the meth problems in their own provinces.

Now the task force is eager to present the final recommendations and 
the estimated costs associated with rolling them out to the premier 
and his government so that things can move forward.

"Now the work needs to move from paper and move to the implementation 
stage and I feel confident that will happen," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom