MORE CASH FOR DRUG WAR PUSHED

Finances and Feds a Concern

Canada's war on drugs is facing a number of challenges including
insufficient funding and concerns about a Conservative government's
commitment to some aspects of the national program, a government
commissioned evaluation reports.

The review of Canada's Drug Strategy highlights a number of "risks"
since the program was renewed in 2003 -- beginning with an inability
to hire, train and maintain sufficient staff amid a proliferation of
clandestine labs, grow-ops and other pressures.

According to the report, completed last October but only recently made
public, the challenges led to at least one formal department request
for more money.

"The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
(PSEPC) has drafted a Memorandum to Cabinet to increase funds to
address capacity gaps around the growing problem of synthetic drugs
(both inspection and investigation)," the evaluation states.

$400 Million a Year

Under the lead of Health Canada, the drug strategy involves eight
federal departments and agencies and a number of partners from other
levels of government, law enforcement agencies, private sector
organizations and international agencies including the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime.

It receives approximately $400 million a year in funding, which
includes a five-year, $250-million funding boost made during the
program's renewal four years ago.

The evaluation, by Ekos Research Associates, does find the drug
strategy to be appropriately organized under a sound governance structure.

Safe-Injection Site

However, concerns were expressed that last year's change in government
may lead to criticisms of the strategy's current approach.

The Conservatives have proposed legislation cracking down on motorists
driving high, but supporters of Vancouver's safe-injection site worry
the Tories are putting impossible requirements on it in order to renew
its operating licence.

NDP health critic Penny Priddy said more money needs to be spent on
the prevention and treatment end of the equation. According to the
evaluation, enforcement activities accounted for 64% of the drug
spending expenditures in 2004-05 compared to 26.3% on treatment.

"Let's say everybody who is out there on drugs woke up tomorrow and
said they want to get clean," said Priddy.

"We would in no way be able to support people to do that because good,
knowledgeable treatment programs are few and far between."

Officials have begun a number of strategies such as allowing for
unspent resources to be reallocated within the drug strategy, focusing
harder on prevention issues and building more flexible budget plans.