Government of Canada Provides Funding to Help Steer Aboriginal Youth Away from Illicit Drugs

WINNIPEG, May 23, 2008 − The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced over $220,000 in funding for a drug treatment intervention program for Aboriginal youth with drug and gang involvement.

“This Government recognizes that illicit drugs undermine healthy families and safe communities and fuel organized crime,” said Minister Nicholson. “This funding will help steer youth away from illicit drugs and drug-related crime, including gang involvement.”The initiative, called Seeing Oneself Community Justice Initiative, will provide a drug treatment intervention program for youth being held in custody in the Manitoba Youth Centre. The funding will help identify and test treatment activities and programs to assist youth with illicit drug problems who are in conflict with the law. It will be aimed at Aboriginal youth and will provide culturally-relevant and evidence-based interventions to target illicit drug use and the related problem of gang involvement. Correctional personnel at the Centre will be trained to co-facilitate the program.

“Illicit drugs are often an integral part of youth crime and gang activity. This new program will help break that connection,” said the Honourable Dave Chomiak, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Manitoba. “It’s important to give these young people the tools to help them stay out of gangs and the criminal life when they return to their communities.”

“This funding is a strong, positive step that will help us to reach youth and empower them to make good choices,” said Brian McLeod, CEO and Director of Strong Heart Teaching Lodge. “Our traditions are a foundation upon which we can help youth not only to survive, but also to thrive as individuals and community members.”

As announced by Prime Minister Harper on October 4, 2007, the National Anti-Drug Strategy is a collaborative effort involving Health Canada, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice and includes three action plans: preventing illicit drug use; treating those with illicit drug dependencies; and combating the production and distribution of illicit drugs.

For more information about the Government of Canada’s National Anti-Drug Strategy, please visit the National Anti-Drug Strategy Web site

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For more information:

Darren Eke
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-4621

Media Relations
Department of Justice
613-957-4207

Backgrounder: Funding for Seeing Oneself Community Justice Initiative