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Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
May 27, 2009

The following statement was issued by the Honourable Patty Pottle, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Fight Against Drugs Campaign Educating Aboriginal Youth

I rise in this Honourable House to inform my colleagues of a recent event I participated in while visiting the Miawpukek First Nation reserve in Conne River. As part of his Fight against Drugs Campaign, Canadian boxing giant George Chuvalo spoke to students from St. Anne�s All-Grade School and Bay d�Espoir Academy about his experience as a father in a family ravaged by drug abuse.

Mr. Chuvalo has an honoured place in sports history for never being knocked down while going toe-to-toe with some of boxing�s finest, including the legendary Muhammad Ali. However, the exploits of this world-class athlete�s battles in the ring pale in comparison with the tragic story of how his family was nearly destroyed by drug addiction. This great fighter told students in Conne River how he struggled outside the boxing ring, when heroin addiction claimed the lives of three of his sons and drove his wife to suicide.

Stopping the abuse of drugs is a challenge for all communities, and like most social problems, the best solutions often come from within the communities themselves. This is what this event was all about. Conne River, under the inspired leadership of Chief Misel Joe, is to be congratulated for bringing Mr. Chuvalo and his Fight Against Drugs Campaign to their community. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, through the Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, is pleased to add its financial support in the effort to bring Mr. Chuvalo to Conne River and the Labrador communities of Hopedale and North West River to share his personal experience of the tragic consequences of drug abuse.

We know that drug addiction is a problem for many communities, which is why this government supports efforts to tackle substance abuse on many fronts, including the Suicide and Detrimental Lifestyles Grant Program for Aboriginal people funded through my department. The Miawpukek First Nation is a perfect example of a community that is taking control of its destiny and tackling difficult and complex social issues such as drug abuse. This is truly a model Aboriginal community, not just for Newfoundland and Labrador, but all of Canada, and beyond. The people of Conne River celebrate Mi�kmaq customs and traditions, their distinct culture and heritage, and inspire other Aboriginal communities to do the same. They do this while facing the very real challenges of 21st century life, head-on.

2009 05 27                                                  2:20 p.m.
 


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