BANDS COMBAT DRUG USE

Leaders of the Okanagan Nation Alliance promised to tackle the issue
of drugs in the aftermath of an incident that killed three men on the
Pentiction Indian Band Reserve.

Leaders from all seven Okanagan Nation bands met Wednesday in Westbank
to develop a strategy to attack the drug trafficking problem on local
reserves.

The meeting followed an incident Oct. 30 on the Penticton Indian Band
reserve that killed 29-year-old Aboriginal male Quincy Paul,
24-year-old Aboriginal male Robin Baptiste and 20-year-old Caucasian
male Damien Endreny. It also injured two other men.

Charged with three counts of second degree-murder and two counts of
attempted murder in the connection with the incident is 24-year-old
Dustin Paul, who is scheduled to make a court appearance by video Nov.
15 in Penticton Provincial Court.

While police continue to remain tight-lipped about the causes of the
incident, drugs are said to have played a factor.

Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie said his goal at the meeting
was to develop workable solutions and realistic "tough-love"
strategies to deal with drug trafficking on reserves.

Penticton Indian Chief Stewart Phillip said drugs are a problem
everywhere. "This is not just an on-reserve problem, it is everywhere
throughout the province and the RCMP is stretched so thin it is
difficult for them to make our drug-related problems on-reserve a
priority," he said.

The meeting concluded with an agreement among members to develop an
Okanagan Nation criminal code, solidify partnerships with crime
enforcement, lobby for resources necessary to improve the well-being
of the seven nations, the establishment of an Okanagan Nation Tribal
Police Force, and an Okanagan Nation membership assembly.