NATIVE OFFICIALS EXPECT MORE FUNDS FOR TREATMENT

Pledge To Open Addiction Centre Welcomed

Ottawa and Queen's Park will continue to fund addiction treatment for
aboriginal people in Toronto, even after pulling the plug on a Parkdale
treatment centre accused of financial mismanagement, local native officials
say.

Robert Adams, president of Toronto's Native Canadian Centre, said yesterday
he has received commitments from both levels of government that they will
provide money for a new centre for alcohol and drug treatment.

The decision comes after federal and provincial health ministries announced
earlier this month they would withdraw more than $800,000 in annual funding
to Pedahbun Lodge, a native treatment centre in Parkdale, effective Nov.
10. The funding cut will force the King St. W. facility, which opened in
1976, to close.

A government audit concluded that although it found no proof of
misappropriation of funds, evidence of "inappropriate" practices amounted
to "financial mismanagement."

Pedahbun Lodge officials yesterday declined to comment.

Adams said officials of his centre, which has no direct connection with the
lodge, are heartened to hear that funding for native addiction treatment
will continue. He said a new program, with new management and directors,
will be started somewhere in Toronto in the coming weeks, possibly in the
old three-storey building that now houses Pedahbun Lodge.

The government audit addressed rumours about the treatment facility, he said.

"We've had real concerns about the services at Pedahbun Lodge, the
allegations, the rumours and the level of performance, but they've only
been rumours," Adams said.

"Now we've read the reports generated in the last weeks by the provincial
and federal governments and our concerns are heightened.

"As community leaders, we've gone to both levels of government and said we
expect accountability, we expect standards of performance and we expect you
to apply them to all organizations, including Pedahbun Lodge. If a facility
like this cannot deliver what it contracts to deliver to its funders, then
perhaps it should be questioned," he said.

"It has been questioned and the funding is terminated."

Adams said he preferred the creation of a new treatment facility, rather
than one built on the sullied reputation of Pedahbun Lodge. He said he has
urged police to investigate activities at the lodge.

Deborah Richardson, executive director of the Native Canadian Centre,
welcomed news of continued funding for native people trying to overcome
alcohol and drug addiction.