Pubdate: Fri, 27 Oct 2006
Source: Coast Reporter (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Coast Reporter
Contact:  http://www.coastreporter.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/580
Author:Christine Wood, Staff Writer

COMMUNITY TAKES A STAND AGAINST DRUGS

Beating drums and singing warrior songs, about 60 people marched 
through Sechelt Indian Band lands last Friday to take a stand against 
drug and alcohol abuse and offer help to those afflicted.

Twenty-three letters were delivered by marchers to homes identified 
as having someone living within that allegedly sold or used illegal drugs.

Some responses were angry while others were joyful, saying thank you 
to the crowd for their support.

"They know we have a good purpose to being here today and some of 
these people are victims in their own homes from family members who 
are selling and using. They care about that family member and we do 
too -- that's why banishment won't work. It's not the person we are 
against, it's the thing they are doing. And that, they can change," 
said Lori Dixon, member of the Taking Back Our Community Society that 
organized the march.

The letters delivered that day laid out the legalities of using and 
selling drugs and alcohol and said that "Illegal activities regarding 
drugs and alcohol are not supported or given permission to in our 
community   oppression of our community is not supported. Abusers of 
our community do not have the community's permission to abuse 
themselves and the rest of us. You are destroying both your personal 
and all our children's futures with these illegal activities."

The letters went on to say the group does support an individual's 
choice to be a healthy, contributing member of the community, that 
"you as a person in our community are valued" and that the Society 
would help individuals get clean and change their lives. Information 
about support programs already in place was attached with the letters.

"Our forefathers were proud to engage in the struggle for our 
community to survive and thrive once again. Let us all honour that. 
Let us all build on that. Let us not be oppressive to our own selves. 
Let us all be strong and proud and say that we have all done our part 
in building a strong, safe and thriving community for our children, 
adults and elders to live happier lives in. Let us all start today."

People supporting the march included children, adults, elders, RCMP 
members and politicians sporting signs saying: "Smoke fish not 
crack," "Kids need hugs not drugs" and "Build a nation not a record."

Chief Stan Dixon, Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid, Powell River - Sunshine 
Coast MLA Nicholas Simons, West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to 
Sky Country MP Blair Wilson and School District No. 46 board chair 
Greg Russell came out to show their support, all noting they felt the 
cause was a worthy and deserving one.

Lori Dixon noted the march was organized after drugs had been sold to 
children as young as eight years old on Band lands. "It's 
unacceptable, and we won't tolerate it as a community," she said.

Before the march started she said there had been some intimidation in 
the community that caused some people not to come out to the march. 
She added, "That is why we are doing this -- for those people. And 
we're going to do it if there's only two of us out there."

A low turnout wasn't a problem in the end, with dozens of supporters 
joining the march behind the Raven's Cry Theatre around 1 p.m. last 
Friday. Elders rode in vehicles lifting hands of support and children 
piled in to a canoe on a trailer and a bus that picked up spectators 
along the route.

Some spectators sat on their porches smiling and waving at the group 
on a mission, while others hid behind curtains, peering out or 
mouthing the words "thank you" in the hopes they wouldn't be seen 
giving their support.

The two-hour march ended at Sechelt Elementary School (SES) where 
songs were sung and speeches given by Society members, politicians, 
the RCMP and Our Lady of Lourdes priest John Nicholson.

Taking Back Our Community Society member Carlene Joe read out the 
Society's mission statement that said the group believes in 
supporting healthy communities.

"We are dedicated to the proposition that there are alternatives to 
dealing with the major problem of illegal drugs and alcohol abuse in 
our community. These alternatives include supporting cultural and 
recreational activities for individuals and for families. This 
Society will focus on fundraising to support events and programs that 
benefit our community. Our main goal is helping provide positive 
reinforcement and supporting positive choices away from the 
oppression of illegal drugs and abuse of alcohol by supporting 
community building activities," Joe read.

Chief Stan Dixon thanked the Society for their efforts to make the 
march a reality.

"For me this is a very emotional situation that we have had in the 
last four or five hours," Dixon said. "The thinking and anticipating 
of what was going to happen gave me a little fear that it wouldn't 
work. It reminds me of the courage that took place here to make this 
an awareness day and the Taking Back Our Community group should get a 
really big hand. I would do that every day if I could. I want people 
to understand that it took courage."

Some courage was found by marchers with the help of the Sunshine 
Coast RCMP who were on hand to offer support and back up if needed. 
RCMP members thanked the community for allowing them to take part in 
the march during the closing ceremonies at SES and noted they plan to 
continue to be involved with the Society in the future as they 
continue to work towards a healthy and safe community.

Wilson and Simons offered their support in the future as well and 
congratulated the Society for what it has achieved so far. "It's been 
an honour and a privilege to join you today. You all deserve a debt 
of thanks from the community," said Wilson. "I'm so impressed at how 
everyone was able to come out today and show their strength as a 
community. I think that's the one thing that binds us all together -- 
our belief in having strong, healthy and safe communities. I'd also 
just like to say if there's anything I can do to continue the work 
that was started today it would be my privilege. I'm at your service, 
and I think with your guidance the job I can do here in the community 
and the job I can do for you in Ottawa has been made a lot easier 
with your help."

Simons noted the community's struggle is far from over and is 
influenced by policies made by government.

"Your struggle against the things that cause problems in the 
community is an ongoing struggle," Simons said. "The fact that you're 
trying hard and continuing that struggle shows a lot about your 
strength. Stay with it. And I think taking back your community is an 
important statement. I always like to point out that with alcohol and 
drugs -- some people say they are the cause of the problems and some 
people say they're the symptoms of the problems. I think it's good 
for us to think about what Carlene said about spiritual and cultural 
effort to re-discover some of the things that were lost through the 
policies of previous governments, federal and provincial. We must 
always remember at the root of the problem, the causes of the problem 
have a lot to do with the societal changes caused by governments and 
the poverty that exists."

At the end of the day community members vowed to continue their fight 
against drug and alcohol abuse and the Society planned to continue 
fundraising and planning events to support those wanting to break 
free from the cycle of abuse. The Band council also planned to look 
at its own laws around drug and alcohol use and propose some changes 
to the community to make the laws more enforceable.

"This is not the end. It's just the beginning, and we still have a 
lot of work to do," Lori Dixon added.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine