Pubdate: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 Source: Penticton Western (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Penticton Western Contact: http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1310 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. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek