Pubdate: Thu, 14 Apr 2005
Source: Red Deer Advocate (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 Red Deer Advocate
Contact:  http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2492
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

WHERE'S RALPH?

Tears are nothing new for parents of children addicted to drugs.

If you have a teenager taking crystal meth, for example, tears come with 
the territory.

But it came down to tears in the provincial legislature on Tuesday, as Red 
Deer MLA Mary Anne Jablonski broke down while pleading with the Liberal 
Opposition for help to get her private member's bill through the house.

Her tears were not enough.

Liberal Leader Kevin Taft says his members would gladly co-operate with the 
government to get the bill passed into law quickly, but not at the expense 
of giving up their time for written questions in the legislature.

He's entirely right in denying Jablonski's request.

There's plenty of time yet for Premier Ralph Klein's Conservatives to take 
over the bill, insert it into their legislative agenda, and get it passed.

With the promise of co-operation from the opposition, Jablonski's crusade 
to give parents just one more tool to get their children off the streets 
and into therapy would become real.

It won't be the fault of Taft or the Liberals if this does not happen.

The Liberals have declared they care about the plight of parents who must 
watch from the sidelines as teenage children take a road to quick 
destruction because their addictions render them incapable of making life 
decisions rationally.

It should not be for them to give up what little force they have in the 
legislature, to help government backbenchers whose own party won't support 
their efforts.

If the premier wanted parents to have the right to have their addicted 
teenagers forcibly removed from their current lifestyles and into a place 
where they can receive help, Jablonski's bill would be law within days.

Tears won't get this passed.

This bill has merit; the government itself should show the compassion 
needed to see it through the house.

Since when did things like this rely on the opposition - especially in Alberta?
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager