PIKWAKANAGAN DECLARES A "WAR ON DRUGS"

About 40 Algonquins of Pikwakanagan took part in a community walk
Wednesday to demonstrate solidarity against illicit drug use and
trafficking in the community.

Organizers said the walk is the first in a series of initiatives
organized by the community's relatively new "War of Drugs" Task Force.

The community walk's theme was 'protect the next generation -our
children, our future.'

"What we want to try and do is educate people and draw awareness,"
said Pikwakanagan Chief Kirby Whiteduck. "As a group of concerned
individuals including council, we realize that illicit drug use has a
negative impact on families, on individuals and on our community."

The walk began at the community health centre, and ended at the Makwa
Community Centre. The marchers then had dinner and listened to guest speakers.

Chief Whiteduck explained that last November, the Union of Ontario
Indians passed a resolution supporting the First Nations War on
Illicit Drug Use and Trafficking. This resolution was passed by
Chiefs in Assembly and supported by the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan council.

According to Chief Whiteduck, a local committee was formed to promote
the message. The movement was so popular that throughout the spring
it grow into a task force.

Chief Whiteduck said the task force has been meeting for months
holding discussions with the Ontario Provincial Police to discuss
strategies on discovering and eliminating drug trafficking in the
community. Chief Whiteduck takes exception to public opinion that
says hard drugs originate from his community. He said the people of
Pikwakanagan know that these drugs are being brought to the community
were they are sold to children, youth and adults.

The message of Wednesday's walk is that this will not be tolerated.

"I don't know that the problem is more serious here than in other
communities. We know there is some use in the community and that does
concern us. Drugs have a negative influence and create problems for
individuals, breakdown families and marriages and hurt community
cohesion," he said.

Explaining further, he said Pikwakanagan is unique in that Algonquin
culture, heritage and identity was impacted when his people were
resettled onto a small piece of reservation land in 1873.

"We have struggled to revive our culture, language and heritage and
we must now protect it again in order that it may be passed down to
our future generations. We cannot allow that process to be endangered
by harsh substance abuse," Chief Whiteduck said.

Future plans of the task force include holding information sessions,
workshops, community walks, and other initiatives task force members
feel will help make the community safer and more drug free.