HIGH TIMES AT ALAITTUQ

Marijuana Find In Middle School Has Police Promising Action

The discovery of a young female student in possession of marijuana at
Simon Alaittuq school in Rankin Inlet has sent shock waves through
the community.

Principal Bev Hill, reading from a prepared statement, acknowledged
the incident had taken place at the school earlier this month.

She said the matter is being dealt with through regular RCMP channels.

"As well, school staff are taking this opportunity to provide
students with factual information on the dangers associated with drug
use, and how to deal with peer pressure and drug use," said Hill.

"Parents and the District Education Authority are supportive of this
approach."

Sgt. Gavin Nash of the Rankin detachment of the RCMP said police are
not sure how the student obtained the weed, but there was no
indication she was involved in trafficking the substance.

Nash said the student was disciplined by the school and there are no
pending court actions against the youth.

He said the detachment's DARE officer, Const. Eric Toovak, will be
speaking to the Grade 6 class at the school.

"We've assigned liaison officers to each school so we can maintain a
highly visible presence," said Nash.

"This came as a surprise because you don't expect to find a kid that
young carrying a controlled substance into the school.

"We're hoping it's an isolated incident and, with a bit of education,
we can keep the kids from taking that stuff anywhere near the school.

"We want our schools to be a safe haven for the kids."

Nash said Cpl. Gerald Ouellet will join the Rankin detachment on
Sept. 24.

He said Ouellet has extensive experience with drug sections in the
south.

"Cpl. Ouellet is going to help with our efforts against those who
would deal drugs in our community.

"He has really good contacts in Alberta, where most of the drugs that
land in Rankin originate from."

Const. Sean O'Brien made a number of drug busts during the four years
he spent policing in Arviat and Rankin.

Now with the GTA Drug Section North in Newmarket, Ont., O'Brien
wasn't shocked by the age of the student found with weed.

He said that's why the DARE program is aimed at Grade 5 and 6 students.

"About 20 per cent of the kids in Grade 4 try cigarettes, alcohol or
drugs," said O'Brien.

"When you move up to Grade 5 and Grade 6, that number rises to 40 per
cent.

"It's close to 85 per cent in Grade 7.

"That's why it's so important to make an impact with kids at the
Grade 5 and 6 level to help keep them away from drugs."

O'Brien said he became highly motivated to find out how a youth came
into possession of drugs when an instance like this happened while he
was in the Kivalliq.

He said there's more money involved with drugs in the North than
people realize.

Most drug investigations in Kivalliq communities stem from the
spinoff effects that come with the problem of drug abuse.

O'Brien said he's seen first-hand how drug abuse affects families in
the North, especially children, who often go without food and proper
clothing because of it.

"That's just the basic necessities I'm talking about."

"These kids almost never get to take part in sports or other
activities that cost money to join.

"Almost every dollar invested in drugs in the Kivalliq was meant to
pay rent, buy fuel or put food on the table."

Drug dealing is a high-risk activity, so many dealers try to minimize
the risk by lowering the number of people they deal with.

O'Brien said while many dealers will only sell to adults or older
teens, others, with less scruples, will sell to anyone with money.

He said another problem area is when kids are around drugs in homes
where they're being used or sold.

"My experience with younger kids in Rankin is that the drugs are
given to them by somebody older, or they steal it from someone they
know who has drugs.

"I doubt anyone in Rankin is actually selling to preteens, but
stranger things have happened.

"There are people out there who are only interested in selling their
drugs and making as much money as they can and they couldn't care
less about who they hurt in the process."