Speech for The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health and Minister for FedNor

October 4, 2007
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Thank you very much, Prime Minister Harper and let me echo what I think many parents across the country are feeling today: today is a great day for Canadian families. And it is my pleasure to be here with the Prime Minister, with my colleague Stockwell Day, and other colleagues in the House of Commons to launch the National Anti-Drug Strategy.

As a father of three young people myself, I want the same thing for my kids that almost every other parent wants for their kids: to be able to take full advantage of everything that Canada has to offer.

I want them to grow up to be successful adults and to make a valuable contribution to our society. But, sadly, all of this could be put at risk when young people are offered drugs before they are mature enough to grasp the magnitude of the consequences of their actions. And it saddens all of us – it certainly saddens me deeply – to see people living and dying with the results of these actions.

As Prime Minister Harper has said, our government is very concerned about the damage and pain drugs cause families and we take this issue very seriously. And that is why our new National Anti-Drug Strategy will place particular emphasis on educating Canadians, especially young people and their parents, about the negative effects – health and otherwise – of illicit drugs.

And that’s why in addition to the programming that Prime Minister Harper pointed to, we are also supporting a Community Initiatives Fund. This fund will provide financial assistance to Canadian communities and organizations to support initiatives that address illicit drug use and the underlying factors that contribute to their use.

Supported by an investment of $9.6 million per year, the Community Initiatives Fund will be refocused on illicit drug use to align the program with government-wide objectives. The Fund will emphasize the reduction of illicit drug use – especially amongst vulnerable populations such as our young people and Aboriginal populations – through health promotion and prevention initiatives.

I am confident that these approaches will have a profound and positive effect on Canadian families and communities.

Together, we can help our young people make healthy choices. We will
encourage them to stay alert, to stay engaged, and to take full advantage of every opportunity Canada has to offer them.

Thank you.