RESPONSE TO ADDICTIONS ON RIGHT TRACK: ADDLEY

Graham Addley, Minister of Healthy Living Services, says Saskatchewan
is on the right track with Project Hope, the province's Action Plan
for Substance Abuse.

"I think we're doing the right things," he said in an interview after
giving a presentation at a Regional Drug Strategy one year follow-up
consultation held in Yorkton Monday.

Addley said the fact the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse saw fit to
present Premier Lorne Calvert with an award for leadership in dealing
with addictions, is validation for the initiative.

"It's external validation that we are on the right track," he
said.

Addley added provincially the issue is taken very seriously by the
government, based on Calvert's personal interest in the issue.

"He's (Calvert) taking real leadership on this issue," he
said.

Addley said the job of dealing with addictions, and how to prevent
them is formidable, but he said it can be accomplished.

"This is a solvable problem, if we can get all the right people in the
same room, and provide some resources we can solve it," he said.

The new portfolio Addley holds is part of the solution, as it focuses
on creating healthy living for people.

"It's the whole idea of keeping people healthy, making choices so they
don't get sick in the first place," he said, adding that focus must
have a regional aspect since what is required in Yorkton may be
different from needs in Estevan, Prince Albert, or North Battleford.

Addley said in the case of preventative measures the evidence of who
is helped is rarely tangible.

"A lot of people who are going to be helped won't even know it," he
said, adding the process taken in the Yorkton region was an ideal step
in the process to find solutions. "It's a model for what every
community in Saskatchewan could do, and probably should do."