ANTI-DRUG QUEST IS ON THE ROPES

The Ontario Liberal government, the Sun has learned, has killed the program
that sponsored the hugely effective anti-drugs crusade of former Canadian
heavyweight champion George Chuvalo.

Chuvalo lost three of his five children to drug-related suicides and his
wife Lynne in drug-overdose despair.

"When the Liberals got elected, the premier's office said the program will
be discontinued," said an upset Lisa Murray, who was manager of the Ontario
Crime Control Commission, the program established by the Progressive
Conservative government of Mike Harris to initiate community involvement in
combatting crime.

In 2002, the Tories, recognizing the value and results of Chuvalo's mission
called George Chuvalo Fights Drugs in which, alone, he spoke to students
and youth groups and adults across the country, incorporated it into the
Crime Control Commission program.

Chuvalo continues to speak nationally but with the bulk of his campaign in
Ontario, the program freed him from dealing with the logistics of travel,
accommodation, fee negotiation and venue targeting. The CCC handled it all,
including purchasing upgraded technical equipment for his stage
presentations, paying him a set fee and arranging his engagements.

BRIGHT AND ARTICULATE

"It was perfect for George and it was highly successful," said Murray.
"From a moral standpoint alone, the government should absolutely have been
involved in the issue of drugs through George's program and it was.

"Until the McGuinty government included George's program in its killing of
the CCC, we sponsored more than 40 of his presentations across the
province. High schools, elementary schools, institutions for male and
female young offenders.

"George is so bright and articulate and passionate, I've never seen anyone
engage with young people with drugs and alcohol problems the way he does.

These are some tough, cynical kids, but it's magic, pure magic the way he
gets through to them, the way they listen to him. These kids fall under
George's love bubble. His charisma is off the scale."

Murray's attempts have been futile to get the McGuinty regime to continue
Chuvalo's program, if not the CCC itself. The Liberals said they didn't
have the budget.

APPROACHED FEDS

"The money that's required for this is minuscule. The overall budget for
the Crime Commission was about $360,000 and of that, only $120,000 was the
budget for George's program. And they can't find the money? How can they
afford not to? George reached thousands of kids with his message, how much
value do you place on the life of one of these kids? Yet, the Liberals tell
me no, it's dead."

Murray says she's approached the feds about sponsoring Chuvalo's program.

"It doesn't put a dime into George's program but can seem to suddenly find
millions it claimed it didn't have. I spoke to Ken Dryden. He said he'll
see what he can do. I never heard a thing back. I need to speak to the
prime minister himself."

There is, however, some hope, but not through government from which it
should come.

"I spoke to the Canadian Auto Workers Union," said Murray.

"It's agreed to sponsor George for 10 national appearances, paying for all
his expenses.

"Good for them. But you'd think it'd be government who should be caring
about what drugs are doing to our young people. George had been doing this
mostly on his own. He's so frustrated at the lack of caring or commitment
from government."

Chuvalo declined to comment on the matter, referring questions to Murray.