Transcript Document

Beyond 2008
Gail Czukar, Executive Vice President, Policy,
Education and Health Promotion, CAMH
Friday, February 6, 2009
Setting the Stage - Canadian Drug Policy
National Anti-Drug Strategy (October 2007)
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Total of $64 million over two years for three
‘action plans’:
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Preventing illicit drug use ($10M)
Treating those with drug dependencies ($32M)
Combating the production and distribution of illicit drugs
($22M)
Led by Department of Justice; also involves
Public Safety Canada and Health Canada
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NADS vs. Canada’s previous drug strategy
Policy Shifts
 New name – ‘anti-drug’ strategy
 Leadership moves from Health Canada to
Department of Justice – signals shift of emphasis to
supply reduction
 No harm reduction pillar
 Focus on illicit drugs - does not include alcohol,
prescription drugs or abuse of legal substances such
as solvents
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Provincial Drug Policy Context
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No Ontario drug strategy
Province working on a mental health and addictions
strategy
Many municipalities have drug strategies (Toronto,
Ottawa, London) and many communities are
developing local drug strategies (Chatham Kent,
Oxford)
Newly formed Municipal Drug Strategy Coordinators
Network to share information and experience
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Specific Recommendations for Member
States
Objective #1 – to highlight achievements of NGOs to the field of drug control
1a) to provide sufficient resources for the full range of drug demand, harm
reduction, treatment and social re-integration programs.
1b) to reaffirm their commitment to addressing illicit/harmful drug use as a public
health issue and to enhance their commitment to address public safety issues
resulting from illicit/harmful drug use, both within a human rights framework
1c) to offer a plurality of services designed to make contact with people who use
or have used drugs and their families as well as improve their health and social
well-being.
1d) to sustain and enhance those services which through monitoring and evaluation
activities are able to demonstrate effectiveness.
1e) to include and fund evaluation as a standard and required element for any
project, and publish reports, where possible in an acknowledged journal, lodged
with an appropriate library and disseminated as widely as possible.
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Specific Recommendations for Member
States
Objective #2 – review best practices of collaboration and improve ways of
working with UNODC & CND
2a) to establish and support transparent and systematic mechanisms for
engagement and consultation at a national level, including NGOs and those
most affected by illicit/harmful drug use and drug policy, when developing policy,
strategy and practice guidelines.
2b) to implement national policies and legislation that are supportive of civil
society gatherings and discussions.
2c) to support NGOs and seek their contributions on a more systematic basis by
including them in matters related to the work of CND when appropriate.
2d) to encourage and support youth groups/initiatives aimed at reducing
illicit/harmful drug use and its health, economic and social consequences.
2e) to create or use existing international funding mechanisms to stimulate
adequate investment in sustainable, evidence based and/or effective services
to reduce illicit/harmful drug use and its adverse health, social and economic
consequences.
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Specific Recommendations for Member
States
Objective #3 – adopt high order principles be used as a guide for drug policy
3a) ensure that the composition of their delegation to the CND reflects the agenda
and functions of the Commission, to facilitate good governance and policy
guidance, with an increased focus on expertise related to the reduction of
illicit/harmful drug use and its adverse health, social and economic
consequences and human rights compliance.
3b) support the efforts being undertaken by WHO, in consultation with INCB and
UNODC, to ensure that all drugs classified as essential medicines are widely
and readily available to medical practitioners and their patients.
3c) ensure that more attention is given to the needs of those in closed custody
settings so that they can gain access to the comprehensive range of
interventions recommended by WHO, UNODC and UNAIDS.
3d) to undertake regular policy and practice audits of their drug related activities,
using information from a wide range of sources, including their target population,
to identify areas for improvement.
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Specific Recommendations for NGOs
Objective #1 – to highlight achievements of NGOs in the field
of drug control
1a) to include evaluation as a standard and required element for
any project, and reports published, where possible in an
acknowledged journal, lodged with an appropriate library and
disseminated as widely as possible.
1b) Support continued ethical innovation of new approaches
using the full flexibility allowed for in the drug control
conventions to build and develop the knowledge base, the
workforce and our capacity to respond to reduce illicit/harmful
drug use and its adverse health, social and economic
consequences.
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Specific Recommendations for NGOs
Objective #2 – best practices of NGO collaboration and improved
ways of working with UNODC & CND
2a) to commit to a productive partnership among themselves, with their
respective national governments and with key international
institutions such as UNODC in order to advance the use of evidence
informed, practical and on the ground experience to reduce
illicit/harmful drug use and its adverse health, social and economic
consequences.
2b) Call for the relationship between UNODC, CND and NGOs to be
monitored and evaluated for the results achieved every two years
by each party and through a joint monitoring, consultation and
planning group, with meaningful NGO involvement and this
evaluation should be results-based and reported to the CND as well
as the UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board for further action.
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Specific Recommendations for NGOs
Objective #3 – high order principles be used as a guide for drug
policy
3a) Work together at appropriate levels (sub-national, national, regional
or international) to develop and implement quality improvement
criteria for their activities, drawing upon work which has already
been undertaken in some countries and regions.
3b) Increase transparency and accountability by publishing annual
reports including summary financial data, even if not required by
national or local legislation.
3c) Undertake regular policy and practice audits of their drug related
activities, using information from a wide range of sources, including
their target population, to identify areas for improvement.
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Why is this important to Canadian NGOs?
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Impact of international drug conventions on Canadian drug policy and
programs.
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Criticism of safer crack kit distribution and safe injection site in World Drug Report.
Canadian government drug policy influenced by dominant views in international
drug policy.
If we can influence change in international policies, may result in
shifts in national drug policies.
Dialogue can lead to more informed policy and practice among NGOs
within Canada and world wide.
NGOs have common issues and a perspective that don’t always get
addressed at international levels where the focus is largely on law
enforcement (supply reduction).
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What can we do to influence policy
makers?
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Continue the dialogue – inform others
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How to encourage the Canadian government to
support the Declaration and Resolutions
• Beyond 2008 letter
• Organize meetings with Health Canada, Department of Justice
and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
• What else?
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What can we do to influence policy
makers?
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Contact the Department of Justice and/or Health
Canada to advocate for the support of the
Declaration and Resolutions
• The Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice &
Attorney General of Canada, [email protected]
• The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health
[email protected]
• The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, [email protected]
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Other Resources
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General Information on Beyond 2008
• Vienna NGO Committee www.vngoc.org
• Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse www.ccsa.ca
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International Drug Policy information
• International Drug Policy Consortium www.idpc.info
• Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Program
www.internationaldrugpolicy.net
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