Canada - Government Of Canada Works With Aboriginal Groups In Alberta To Curb Illicit Drug Use

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Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced that the Government of Canada is supporting projects under the Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund that will strengthen drug prevention in Aboriginal communities in the Alberta region.

"We are working with Aboriginal groups in Alberta to help them reduce illicit drug use in their communities through targeted education activities and other prevention initiatives," said Minister Aglukkaq. "This is yet another example of how we are engaging provincial partners and communities across the country in implementing Canada's National Anti-Drug Strategy."
Through the New Dawn Rising project, the Alberta Native Friendship
Centres Association will support community organizations in providing culturally relevant drug prevention-related services for urban Aboriginal people.

Through the Community Supports for Gang Prevention and Intervention program, the Alberta Native Counselling Services will help strengthen, support and develop youth gang prevention programs and services by providing advice and support to community and government partners working to assist at-risk youth and their families.

These initiatives are another step in actualizing the Government of Canada's National Anti-Drug Strategy, announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in October 2007.

"These programs will be important tools in our efforts to deliver effective gang prevention and addictions programming, which will have long-term benefits for the health and welfare of Aboriginal peoples in Canada," said MP Hawn.

The federal Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund provides financial support for health promotion and prevention projects at the national, provincial and local levels. It addresses a wide range of illicit drug use issues, especially among vulnerable populations such as youth. The Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association will receive up to $176,460, and the Alberta Native Counselling Services up to $50,000 in financial support for these important projects.

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