B.C. FINDS FUNDS FOR METH, CITIES

Premier Gordon Campbell brought his chequebook to the Union of B.C.
Municipalities convention Thursday, announcing $7 million in new funds to
combat crystal meth addiction, and a boost to provincial grants for small
rural communities.

Calling meth a "dirty, filthy drug" that permanently wrecks people's lives
and health, Campbell told a capacity crowd of civic politicians that $2
million of the money will go directly to municipalities to support their
own programs, patterned after successful initiatives like the
"meth-kickers" program in Kamloops.

Another $1 million is to fund an awareness program in schools, and $3
million will be spent on television and other advertising to get the
warning message out about the dangers of the crystal meth.

Municipal leaders fromaround the province gave the premier a standing
ovation at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre, but after the speech
NDP leader Carole James scoffed at the treatment funding and local grants
that amount to $10,000 in one-time "seed money" for local anti-meth groups.

James said parents of addicted youth are already working on the problem
with their own resources.

"Now for them to hear the little amount of money, $10,000 for each
community, only $2 million for addiction services for detox beds, I think
it's an insult to the people who've been working hard in communities to
address this problem," James said.

Asked about the criticism, Campbell said the government can't just "throw
money out and see if it works," but there is more to come once effective
strategies are identified.

"This is part of what we intend to do, it's not all of what we intend to
do," Campbell said, adding that new legislation to control the ingredients
for meth manufacturing is also being studied.

Campbell congratulated the UBCM on its 100th anniversary, and for putting
municipal issues on the federal map.