Kaiser Sets Up Awards For Anti-Drug Efforts

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CN BC: Kaiser Sets Up Awards For Anti-Drug Efforts
by Dirk Meissner, Canadian Press, (01 Mar 2006) Globe and Mail British Columbia
VICTORIA -- A multimillionaire businessman is launching a national awards program to recognize the efforts of the thousands of nameless people and organizations who help people beat drug addiction.

The National Harm Reduction Awards program aims to recognize the unsung heroes who help reduce the harms associated with drug abuse in Canada, Edgar Kaiser Jr., chairman of the Kaiser Foundation, said yesterday.

The Kaiser Foundation has put together a high-profile advisory board for the awards that includes Michael Wilson, Canada's U.S. ambassador-designate; Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress; and Thomas d'Aquino of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

"It's not a sexy subject, but it is an important one," said Mr. Kaiser, who was in Victoria to announce the first awards banquet May 1 in Vancouver.

"The forgotten people are the literally tens of thousands of Canadians who work in this field for virtually no money at all, helping other people's lives get better," he said.

"What we hear about is John Belushi, who died of an overdose, or the person who went to Betty Ford and found Jesus and then writes a book about it. You don't hear about the positive steps that the people in the field are doing."

The awards will honour the work of individuals or groups in six areas of harm reduction, including leadership, policy and community, aboriginal and mental-health programs.

Each winner will receive a $10,000 prize that will be donated to a recognized charitable organization of their choosing.

Mr. Kaiser is a former owner of the Denver Broncos football team and an Order of B.C. recipient