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8TuesdayFebruary122013TheTownofFortSmithcelebratesAuroraCollegeWeekFeb.11-15WishingeverysuccesstoallAuroraCollegestudents.MayyourgoalsbeachievedFortSmithisproudtobehometoAuroraCollegeThebachaCampusYouthtalkpreventionatMinistersAddictionForumFour-memberpanelvisitsFortSmithtotalksolutionsByMEAGANWOHLBERGHighschoolstudentswereamongthemostinnovativeandenthusiasticcontributorstoacommunitydiscussiononaddictionsandwellnessheldinFortSmithlastweekaspartoftheongoingterri-tory-wideMinistersForumonAddictions.Afour-memberpanelcomposedofrepresentativesfromHayRiverFortRes-olutionandFortSmithmetwithaseriesofcommunitygroupsFirstNationsandthegeneralpublicduringitsthreedaysofconsulta-tionlastweek.EachgroupwasaskedtoprovidefeedbackonwhatneedstobedonetoimprovepreventiontreatmentandaftercarewhenitcomestoaddressingaddictionsintheNorthwestTerritoriespoint-ingoutwhatismissingandwhatcanbechanged.AccordingtoDavidPoi-trasthesoleFortSmithrep-resentativeonthepanelthatwashand-selectedbyHealthandSocialServicesMinis-terTomBeaulieulastfallitwastheyouthwhocameupwithmanyofthebestsolutionsespeciallywhenitcametoprevention.Manypeoplesuggestedincludingthestudentsthaton-the-landtreatmentorex-cursionsonthelandwouldbealotmoreeffectivePoitrassaid.Theyshouldbeteachingmoreculturalactivitieslikeactuallyliv-inginthebushratherthangoingoutforanhourandwatchingsomeoneskinabeaver.Ithastobealotmorecomprehensive.Apartfromtraditionalandculturalactivitiesthestudentssuggestedmoreem-phasisonyear-roundsport-ingopportunitiescookingbookfilmandlanguageclubstheavailabilityofad-dictionstreatmentinhighschoolsanonymoussupportgroupsandlifeskillsclassesforbothyouthandtheirpar-entsandguardians.Kidsneedtolearnskillsorgotoprogramswheretheycanlearnlivingskillshowtodealwithpeerpressurehowtodealwithalackofsupportathomeandalsoaboutset-tinggoalsandhowtofollowthemPoitrassaid.AndtheysuggestedthatthereshouldbearewardmotivationlikeforexamplewhentheydidthesmokingcessationyoucouldwinatriptoHawaiiifyoustoppedsmokingforayear.Youthalsosaidtheyfeelneglectedbycommunityservicesintheirhometowns.WhilesomeyouthcentresliketheSideDoorinYellow-knifeareofferingexcellentdrop-inserviceskidsfromtheoutercommunitiesdontnecessarilygetthatkindofcare.Theyneedgoodsupervi-sorstheysaidbecausesomeofthesekidswerefromdiffer-entcommunitiesandtheysaidsomeoftheplacesaredirtypeopleworkingtherehavenoskillsinworkingwithyouthsomeofthemyellatthemandtheysaidthoseplacesneedtobeupgradedPoitrassaid.Alltheliquorstoresarere-allylookedafterbrandnewandthekidsgetdumpsforthemselves.OneofthemostinnovativesolutionsproposedtothepanelwasbyayoungfemaleinmatefromthecorrectionalfacilityPoitrassaidwhosuggestedthecreationofanonlinesup-portnetworkforpeoplere-turningtotheircommunitiesfromtreatmentorjail.Awebsiteonlinewhereifyouvedonetreatmentandyoucomebacktothecommu-nityyoucangetonlinetoaskquestionsorseekfurthersup-portmakecontactandweallthoughtthatwassuchanexcellentideaPoitrassaid.MorecultureneededintreatmentPoitrassaidanotherissueraisedbyallgroupshadtodowithaperceivedlackofculturalunderstandingonthepartofworkersintheaddic-tionstreatmentsystem.Recentgovernmentdeci-sionshaveseenworkersprevi-ouslytrainedinAboriginalad-dictionscerticateprogramsincludingPoitrastoldtheyarenolongerqualiedtohelpothersinaprofessionalcon-textbecausetheydonthaveproperuniversitydegrees.Poitrassaidthathasfrus-tratedalotofpeoplehimselfincluded.Weretiredofpeoplecomingfromthesouthwithdegreesthatdontknowourculturedontunderstandourwayofthinkingourspiritu-alitytheyvehadnoexperi-encewithdrinkingordrugssomeofthemandtheyregoingtocomeandxusIheardthatquiteafewtimesPoitrassaid.Theywouldpreferpeoplefromupherewhounderstandtheculturehavesometrainingoreduca-tion-theysaidtheyrewaymoreeffective.EldershelpedpeoplelongbeforetherewasaGNWTuphereheadded.Waittimestogetintotreat-mentprogramswerealsored-aggedasbeingmajorbar-rierstopeoplegettinghelp.Whenpeoplearereadytogototreatmenttheyshouldnothavetowaitfourweeks.RightnowthatswhattheydoPoitrassaid.BeingaformeralcoholicwhenIwasreadytodosomethingithadtobenowbecausetomorrowwouldhavebeentoolate.Participantsalsosaidwell-nessworkersneedtodomoreoutreachinthecommunities.PeoplethinkthatyoucantjustsitinanofceandwaitforpeopletocomeitwouldbealotmoreeffectiveifyoucreatedarelationshipwiththecommunityPoitrassaid.TheMinistersForumonAddictionsandCommunityWellnesshasvisitedFortMcPhersonHayRiverEn-terpriseFortResolutionKatlodeecheFirstNationLutselKeandFortSmith.ThisweekmembersofthepanelwillholdconsultationsinDelineFortGoodHopeandNormanWells.Poitrassaidheisexcitedtoseethenalproductoftheforum.Imreallypositiveaboutsomeoftherecommenda-tionsthataregoingtocomeouthesaid.Theyregoingtomovethetreatmenteldahead.HealthWellnessAddictionsThepanelfacilitatingtheMinistersForumonAddictionsandCommunityWellnesswashandpickedbyHealthandSocialServicesMinisterTomBeaulieulastfalltoleadavision-ingexercisefortheterritory.Theyhavevisitedsevencommunitiestodate.PhotoGNWTPhotoLoriRutherfordTheFortSmithHurricanesreturnedwithlotsofribbonsfromthe2013TerritorialSwimChampi-onshipsinYellowknifeontheweekend.FromleftXanderMcMahon9FinnJohnson9JoshZaidan9BronwynRutherford-Simon10andOllieJohnson7withcoachKarenZaidan.