Summerside council puts youth drug treatment facility before Ghiz government

Summerside council puts youth drug treatment facility before Ghiz government
MIKE CARSON The Guardian--SUMMERSIDE — Seven months ago, the city of Summerside threw its support behind a group of parents calling on the provincial government to establish long-term drug care for area youth.Since then, the provincial government has changed so Monday night, city council again put the cause before the new Liberal Ghiz government urging a youth drug treatment facility be established in Summerside.Coun. Garth Lyle raised the issue initially last February and was on his feet again Monday night asking council to support the plan.“This would be drug treatment for young adults and teens who are on drugs,” Lyle said following Monday night’s monthly city council meeting. “The concerned parents group has been doing a lot of work on this. They continue to move it along.”Lyle said he met with members of the parents group earlier Monday. He was told they have met with the province and the new Liberal government is still offering support.“But there is no final word on whether they’re planning on building one (drug treatment facility) or how they plan to implement the policy,” he said.Lyle said there would be no requirement for the province to construct a new facility, pointing to the underused Youth Centre as a probable site for the treatment centre.“That’s the idea (to use the Youth Centre),” he said. “It’s a perfect spot for it. It’s an existing building that would be easily suitable for it.”When the issue was brought up in February, there was some concern over the type of drug treatment program that would be offered. The former Binns government was talking about a short- term three-month program but the parents wanted more.At that meeting, Cathy DesRoches, a parents group member, told city council that the three-month program being proposed is not good enough. They are looking for long-term addiction treatment legislation which would force youth into the program. That also raised a Charter of Rights issue as to whether youth could be forced in the program. Lyle said other provinces have adopted legislation to deal with this issue but former P.E.I. Health Minister Chester Gillan had been “a little leery” to follow suit.“They’re out there trying to bring it to the attention of the government how important it is to move ahead with this project.”Lyle said Gillan felt it may be a challenge to the Charter of Human Rights.“What the group is saying is let’s go ahead and do it because in the other provinces there have been no challenges yet,” he said.“I think it’s pretty safe here that we could put that through without violating anybody’s basic human rights.”City police have been tormented with break, enters and thefts mainly with the take going to support drug habits. Supporters feel this facility would go a long way toward curbing that problem and creating safer, healthier home and community environments.The parents group pushing for the long-term drug addiction program at the East Prince Youth Centre are not all parents of children with drug problems. Dr. Sheldon Cameron, well-known for his work in addictions, is involved along with Andy Lou Somers, executive director of the East Prince Women’s Information Centre.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=63300&sc=98