Pubdate: Fri, 23 Feb 2007
Source: Mississippi Weekender (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 Mississippi Weekender
Contact:  http://www.runge.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4431
Author: Dianne Pinder-Moss
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

THE WAR AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS

Town Council Shows Its Support For Antidrug Initiative By Resident 
Brian Pearson

When Brian Pearson was invited to appear before Carleton Place town 
council on Feb. 13, he went with the hope that council would "pretty 
much embrace" his idea for an initiative against drugs.

Based on the response he received that evening, council certainly 
appears to be headed in that direction.

Pearson who has been writing a series of articles for the Carleton 
Place Canadian in regards to the recent death of his 16-year-old son, 
in what he calls a "drug related tragedy, made a presentation before 
council on TRIAD (Tri-Agency Initiative Against Drugs).

In his impassioned address that night, he stated that he was there to 
address the "human side" of drugs.

"There is pain - the pain is obviously for me personally...," he said 
as he spoke about the impact the death of his son Brett had had on 
his life. "You can't imagine it unless you have been through it...I 
would not want to wish that on anyone."

TRIAD would be aimed at curbing first-time illegal drug use and drug 
dealing by local youth with Pearson envisioning the initiative being 
led by the Town of Carleton Place in partnership with the Carleton 
Place detachment of the OPP and local schools of the Upper Canada 
District School Board.

The way in which it would work, as he outlined in the brief 
distributed to members of council, is that any resident of Carleton 
Place would be able to walk into the Town Hall, police station or any 
participating school to make a written or verbal report of 
drug-related concerns involving youth.

One of the TRIAD partners would then be obligated to provide the 
person making the report with a follow-up "call back" within 14 days.

While Pearson made it clear information supplied on a TRIAD form 
could not be re-used in criminal or civil proceedings, one thing it 
would do, he said, is give people a feeling that they are being heard.

The benefit of the program, as he states in the introductory page of 
the brief, is that it will provide residents of Carleton Place with 
"a simple, practical and accountable way to contribute information, 
safeguard their children and receive regular progress reports from 
the Town as it builds a knowledge base and actively measures TRIAD's 
impact on drug-related events of all kinds." The target date set by 
him for the program to commence is September 2007, coinciding with 
the start of the next school year.

Pearson didn't mince words in stressing the importance of Carleton 
Place getting involved in a program like this, possibly even 
receiving some form of status to run a pilot project. In his view, 
such a program was needed in the town because the illegal drug 
problem is "epidemic," because "we have had a death," and because of 
the resulting "backlash in the community."

"I see it (TRIAD) working," he remarked. "It will work if the town 
can just step up and provide its public presence."

Calling this a chance "you don't want to pass by," Pearson emphasized 
that his initiative was not motivated by a spirit of vindictiveness. 
"For me, it is to make Carleton Place unique - there is an 
opportunity that should be seized."

He also expressed his desire to be part of a Youth Committee being 
spearheaded by Councillor Jerry Flynn, whether it is as a member or 
contributing in some other form.

Terming Pearson's presentation "rather blunt and candid," Mayor Paul 
Dulmage thanked the town resident for his courage "to come and give it to us."

Stating that while previously council may have felt a focus on drugs 
would be bad for the image of the town, Dulmage gave Pearson "my 
word" that he would correct the situation.

Also commending Pearson for his presentation, Flynn stated that an 
initiative against drugs would be a "great thing" for Carleton Place 
to be known for.

"We can't let that go," he asserted. "The onus is on us to do our 
part....Our youth are in trouble. One is dead."

Noting that an amendment would be made to ensure Pearson was on the 
Youth Committee once it was formed, Dulmage further stated that TRIAD 
looked like "a good plan."

"If you cut the food chain (in illegal drugs) at the bottom, 
generally the food chain will weaken for sure," he commented.

Rather than the image of Carleton Place becoming tarnished "because 
of the effort on drugs," Pearson suggested that it might have just 
the opposite impact. "We might see families moving here because of it."

Dulmage concluded the discussion on the TRIAD proposal by stating 
that "we are going to be a leader in this, not a follower."

Pearson was gratified by the mayor's response to his initiative, 
telling The Weekender a few days after the council meeting that "it 
meant a lot to me."

"As I said at the meeting, he (Dulmage) has the energy and people 
skills to get us whatever permission we need to get my initiative up 
and running," he stated, adding that he is also "very confident that 
Councillor Flynn will be assembling a first class Youth Committee."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman