ABORIGINAL DRUG PROGRAM GETS FEDS' HELP

The federal government will provide $220,000 to support a Manitoba
program that helps incarcerated aboriginal youths battle drug addictions.

Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said the support to the Strong
Heart Teaching Lodge is consistent with many of the goals of the
Conservative government's national anti-drug strategy, which combines
efforts to combat production and distribution of illicit drugs with
counselling for addicts.

Nicholson said the federal government believes this program will put
the youth involved "on the path to becoming productive citizens."

Brian McCleod, CEO of the lodge, said the federal support will help
expand delivery of the Seeing Oneself initiative, which helps
drug-addicted aboriginal youths establish their own counselling
programs to combat the temptations to use drugs and engage in criminal
activity.

The program, which will involve youths incarcerated at the Manitoba
Youth Centre, includes aboriginal elders and traditional values, but
encourages participants to create counselling programs they believe
in, McCleod said. This approach has been proven more successful
because it involves youths reaching out to others to find solutions,
he added.

"We're not going in blind," he said. "This program has been proven a
success in other communities."

McCleod said staff at the Manitoba Youth Centre have been essential to
the development of Seeing Oneself.