RECOMMENDATIONS STRIVE TO TACKLE METH

Drayton Valley Western Review -- Enhanced treatment programs,
extensive education and more targeted policing when it comes to
methamphetamine are all identified as top priorities as the Premier's
Task Force on Crystal Meth prepares its final recommendations to be
brought forward to the Province.

Drayton Valley Mayor Diana McQueen sits on the 12-member task force
headed by Colleen Klein and Dr. Bob Westbury and she expects that,
after months of public consultations and discussion, the final report
and recommendations will be presented to the premier next month.

While the recommendations haven't been finalized yet, McQueen said
the public can expect to see many of their own thoughts and ideas
reflected in the final document. Key recommendations to the province
will include establishing more treatment programs and centres for
those struggling with addiction to the drug as well as expanding
current programs.

The document will call for a broad education program aimed at younger
children as well as young adults to help stop addiction before it
begins and tougher law enforcement for meth-related crimes. McQueen
said this would include putting more officers in place who can
dedicate their time to dealing with drugs and drug-related crimes,
similar to Drayton Valley's General Investigation Section.

Although the original timeline for the task force's recommendations
was moved up in order to be presented to the provincial government
before Premier Ralph Klein retires, McQueen feels the issue of
methamphetamine in Alberta is significant enough that the
recommendations would be looked on favourably by whoever becomes the
new leader of the party.

"It didn't matter where we travelled across the province this was a
priority and so I think that no matter who the leader is, it will be
a priority to implement them (the recommendations)," she said.

For McQueen, who was a member of town council when Drayton Valley
decided to tackle the emerging issue of meth in the community head
on, being able to share that knowledge with other communities in the
province is important.

"This was an initiative that Drayton Valley started," she said,
pointing to the successful work done by the Building Safer
Communities program to help combat meth. "So it's an honour to sit on
the task force and have input into the recommendations."

She's proud of the recommendations the task force has been able to
come up with but said one of the most rewarding aspects for her has
been getting a chance to work with the different members of the task
force and the public. Being able to meet with recovering meth addicts
and those still struggling to beat addiction also helped her gain a
perspective on the impact the recommendations of the task force could
have across the province and beyond.

McQueen said she's received calls from other provinces who are
waiting to see what the recommendations will be and if they could be
used to tackle the meth problems in their own provinces.

Now the task force is eager to present the final recommendations and
the estimated costs associated with rolling them out to the premier
and his government so that things can move forward.

"Now the work needs to move from paper and move to the implementation
stage and I feel confident that will happen," she said.