RARE SHOW OF UNITY

The horror of methamphetamine has led to a historic move in the Alberta
legislature. Politicians of all parties yesterday voted to abandon a
Standing Order of the assembly - temporarily halting all debate on the new
budget - and revert to discussion of a private member's bill, something
strictly held to Mondays only.

"Honourable members, this is most unique. This perhaps has never happened
before in the history of Alberta, in 99 years," said assembly Speaker Ken
Kowalski, calling the unanimous, all-party vote "the highest form of
democracy."

MLAs, however, hope the move is only an interesting footnote to a far more
important achievement.

Bill 202, the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act, will allow parents
to place addicted kids into a five-day detoxification program, after an
assessment by drug counsellors. At the conclusion, the hope is, the minor
will agree to take further drug treatment.

Red Deer Tory MLA Mary Anne Jablonski, sponsor of the bill, created it in
reaction to stories from the parents of methamphetamine-addicted kids. The
minors could not be forced to confront addictions unless they were arrested
for a crime and ordered by a court to undergo treatment.

The bill passed both its required two votes yesterday.

"This bill will give many families hope," said Edmonton-Ellerslie Liberal
MLA Bharat Agnihorti.

It almost didn't happen. To even be heard, the bill first required willing
MLAs to surrender to Jablonski their coveted position in the private bill
line-up. Then fatal flaws in the bill became apparent, and support in the
assembly dried up. After a redrafting, the bill was foundering at the
bottom of a massive list of legislature business, unlikely to reach a final
vote before the session ended.

But then something else happened.

"What happened was the reaction of the public," said Liberal House Leader
Laurie Blakeman. "This has stirred up a great deal of emotion in the community.

"Parents are desperate. They don't know how to get their kids help."

Audrey Bjornstad, a Sherwood Park mom of a formerly meth-addicted teen, was
thrilled with the actions she witnessed in the legislature yesterday.

"To see history being made, on this bill, was just amazing."

Twenty-four new drug treatment beds were approved in the budget released
Wednesday. Half will go to an Edmonton AADAC facility, half to one in Calgary.

Detailed rules for how the compulsory-detox program will operate remain to
be drafted.