"MS M. LAING: Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the chairman
of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission. Earlier
this session the chairman of AADAC assured the House that
checks and balances were in place for the controversial Kids of the Canadian West drug addiction program, which is scheduled to open this fall in Calgary, but now we find out that this is not the case. Government officials from several departments,
including Health and the Solicitor General, will meet soon to discuss how to license this facility and how to deal with its potential violation of Alberta laws. My question is: why weren't these issues examined and resolved before the government gave a $ 600,000 grant to the Kids program last year?
MR. NELSON: Mr. Speaker, in recommending moneys to be
provided to Kids of the Canadian West, we went through and did all these checks and balances, and quite frankly it is my opinion at this present time that they are in place.
MS M. LAING: There seems to be some dispute about that.
My next question is to the Minister of Health. Research has
shown that up to 70 percent of adolescent drug abusers are
victims of childhood sexual misuse, an abuse of power by adults with authority. The Kids program represents a perpetuation of authority being used in an abusive manner, but complete
rehabilitation requires conditions of trust and nonabusive human relationships. Therefore, will the minister require mental health professionals in her department to do an in-
depth evaluation of
the mental health effects of the Kids program on its graduates and the drop-
outs from that program?
MRS. BETKOWSKI: Mr. Speaker, I'm at a bit of a loss as to
why the question has come to me. I'll certainly take the
suggestion of the hon. member under advisement, but I think
that the chairman of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Commission has responded and may wish to supplement the
allegation that was made in the prelude to the question.
MR. NELSON: Mr. Speaker, some of the concerns that are
raised by the Member for Edmonton-
Avonmore with regards to
the program certainly have been addressed and will continue to be addressed. Again, I must emphasize that the checks and
balances in the agreement that was signed by AADAC and the
proponents of this facility are such that it is our belief that we will have a first-
class program which will enhance the addiction
work AADAC presently has within the province and will
continue to provide Alberta with the leadership role that we have in the addictions field."
http://isys.assembly.ab.ca:8080/isysquery/irl1940/3/doc