TO THE MASSET COMMUNITY

A letter to the community of Masset; where I have resided on a permanent
basis for the past two years.

Over the last two years the seriousness of the drug and alcohol problem in
Masset and other communities on the islands rears in ugly head in the view
of myself and many other residents of island communities.

For the majority, drugs and alcohol are imported to these islands through
one of several ways; alcohol is brought here by way of BC government and
their Liquor Control Act, drugs are brought here by criminals who are very
seldom regulated by the Narcotics' Control Act, and you don't have to be a
university student to figure out the drugs come here by way of drug dealers
traveling on and off the island. Drug runners coming within, between and to
the island communities. Knowing this really simplifies the logistics of drug
movement to the islands; either it arrives here via people travelling on the
ferry system, the airlines or even by commercial/private boats.

My best guess is the main pipeline of drugs coming to the islands is through
people travelling back and forth on the ferry system. My second guess would
be private and commercial boats, although the movement of suspicious marine
traffic is monitored a little closer than people and vehicle traffic on the
ferry system. My third guess would be through the airlines which is probably
minimal, because of the tight security checks on mainland airports.

In my opinion this leaves only one conclusion that has existed since the
dawn of mankind and that is flow always takes the path of least resistance,
which is embedded in the human mind. Therefore my best guess of transport
through the ferry system is probably correct, since there are no security
checks relating to what people are bringing to the islands, hence the least
resistance to flow.

Drugs and alcohol are a security issue to residents of Haida Gwaii. The
irresponsible use and abuse of drugs and alcohol effects every resident, our
security is directly and indirectly compromised through the irresponsible
use and abuse of drugs and alcohol through criminal acts and/or behavior
which effects individuals, families and communities. I wonder if the police
departments have ever bothered to figure out the flow of the drugs to the
islands. Reducing or stopping the flow is only a portion of the answer to
the problem.

The other answers are education on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse and
treatment facilities for those who are dependent on drugs and alcohol.

This now brings me to the most important issue, which is the sale of drugs
and alcohol to our children. To each and every one of you drug/alcohol
dealers; every time you sell or give drugs/alcohol to our children you are
directly involved in the destruction of the way of life here on Haida Gwaii,
and I am positive that every resident on these islands would agree with me.

To the drug and alcohol dealers (big or small time), you may think your
untouchable, you may think you invisible, but most residents know who you
are and your day will come when you will have to take responsibility for
your actions; actions that are destroying our children and families; you may
believe otherwise, but you are dead wrong.

So, the next time you see or give a child drugs or alcohol; remember, you as
the dealer, are directly responsible for the destruction of that child's
life, that child's family, that child's community and ultimately the way of
life here on Haida Gwaii.

Respectfully,

Daryl Collerman

Masset