SMITHERMAN'S ADDICTION

If nothing else, Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman is open and
transparent -- at least about his personal life.

The province's first openly gay cabinet minister has revealed that he
was addicted to street stimulants in the 1990s for about five years.
When he realized that the "party drugs" were affecting his life, Mr.
Smitherman decided to see his family doctor, who instructed him to see
an addiction specialist. Mr. Smitherman took the difficult next step
and saw a specialist who helped him deal with his addiction. The
42-year-old minister said he thought alcohol played a role in causing
him to get involved in the unidentified street drugs.

Mr. Smitherman made his admission last week while speaking to the
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Courage to Come Back Awards.

"When I saw that word 'Courage' so large behind on the screen, it made
me realize it would really not be right to mount the podium and make
the traditional greeting," Mr. Smitherman said. "So I said what was in
my heart. I left the room a better person. It was liberating. If it
comes back to haunt me, so be it."

Mr. Smitherman isn't sure what prompted him to use drugs, but it
started about the time his father died.

Today, he says he has beaten the addiction, only taking the occasional
glass of wine.

The admission is quite a statement from anyone, let alone a cabinet
minister, and the health minister at that. But it is recognition that
anyone can become an addict -- even the person whose job it is to
ensure the public's health.

This admission has been greeted with words of encouragement that have
risen above the political realm. Even Conservative leader John Tory
sent Mr. Smitherman a note of support in the legislature this week. It
remains to be seen if the health minister's words will give strength
to the addicted, but they should.

Obviously, you could not have a health minister under the influence of
any drug when in office. Too many serious and confidential issues must
be discussed in the portfolio. But Mr. Smitherman is sober now and fit
to serve.

Ontarians should praise Mr. Smitherman's courage to beat his addiction
and be candid about his problem.