Pubdate: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2009 The Edmonton Journal Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Darcy Henton Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) GOV'T TABLING BILLS BY THE DOZEN Twelve Pieces Of New Legislation Cover Such Issues As Young Addicts, Lobbyists The mother of a former teen drug addict is applauding a bill introduced in the legislature Wednesday that will enable the government to confine young addicts for treatment up to three times longer than current legislation. Audrey Holliday said the bill, which amends two-year old legislation aimed at protecting children abusing drugs, is a good start. The bill, one of 12 introduced on the second day of the spring sitting of the Alberta legislature, boosts the current five-day period of confinement to 10 days with a provision for a judge to extend it to 15 days, if deemed necessary. Holliday, who co-founded a group called Parents Empowering Parents, said young people are often still craving drugs and physically ill when they are released from rehabilitation after five days and often fall back to their addiction. That means some parents have had to have their children apprehended and put through the process repeatedly -- some up to six times -- before they beat the addiction, she said. "When they are released after five days, they are just in a state of detox where they are really craving," she said. "They're angry, they're really fragile and their chances of relapse in fairly high." She said the amendment, if passed this spring, will reduce the costs of the system and the emotional costs on children and their families. "The kids who have recovered from this program know they needed more time," she said. Calgary MLA Heather Forsyth, who introduced Bill 6 -- the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Amendment Act -- said parents, treatment staff and police have suggested a longer period of confinement was necessary. "We need the extra time," she said. She said the amendment also calls for an increased involvement of parents, who have to attend a mandatory information meeting about the process before determining if there are other alternatives. Forsyth said she has personal experience with the issue. "When you are a parent dealing with a child that's drug or alcohol addicted ... you just don't know where to turn," she said. "This is a good news story." Since the program began in July 2006, it has treated 1,530 young people, she said. Liberal Leader David Swann said his party will likely support the bill provided there are adequate checks and balances to protect the rights of children. The province is also amending its two-year old Lobbyist Act, despite the fact the flagship bill of Premier Ed Stelmach when he first took office has yet to be implemented. The bill was part of the premier's campaign vow to govern openly and transparently, but the lobbyist registry has yet to begin operation. The amendments will "fine tune" the bill that requires paid lobbyists to register in an online registry that will be operated by the Alberta Ethics Commissioner, said Justice spokesman David Dear. He said it has taken longer than expected to begin the registry. "There had to be a lot of work done around it," he said. "The fact is it's complex. It's coming, but our point has always been to have an effective registry in effect rather than a rushed one. We're taking the time to get it right." Tom Olsen, a spokesman for the premier's office, said Stelmach is glad the registry is moving closer to beginning operation. "He's very proud of proceeding with the lobbyist registry, which is the first of its kind in Alberta," he said. Swann said the Liberals will seek an amendment to close "a loophole" in the act that allows lobbyists to avoid registering if they have been invited by a cabinet minister. "It's a huge loophole that makes the bill extremely questionable in terms of effectiveness," he said. "We will try to raise it, absolutely -- not that any of our amendments go anywhere." Dear said the provision is needed because some people with valuable knowledge or insight would be reluctant to provide advice to government if they were required to register as lobbyists. Other bills introduced Wednesday will enable landowners to enter into dispute resolution processes with energy companies, allow for tougher and more creative penalties for people who violate fisheries laws, update laws governing marketing of agricultural products and expand the powers of the chief medical officer of health. - --- MAP posted-by: Doug