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Table 4: Horizontal Initiatives


Name of Horizontal Initiative: National Anti-Drug Strategy

Name of Lead Department(s): Department of Justice

Lead Department Program Activity: Justice policies, laws and programs

Start Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 2007-08

End Date of the Horizontal Initiative: 2011-12 and ongoing

Total Federal Funding Allocation (start to end date): $578.5 millions

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement): The National Anti-Drug Strategy was launched by the Government of Canada in 2007, with a clear focus on illicit drugs and a particular emphasis on youth. Its goal is to contribute to safer and healthier communities through coordinated efforts to prevent use, treat dependency and reduce production and distribution of illicit drugs. It encompasses three action plans: prevention, treatment and enforcement.

The prevention action plan supports efforts to prevent youth from using illicit drugs by enhancing their awareness and understanding of the harmful social and health effects of illicit drug use, and to develop and implement community-based interventions & initiatives to prevent illicit drug use. The treatment action plan supports effective treatment and rehabilitation systems and services by developing and implementing innovative and collaborative approaches. The enforcement action plan aims to contribute to the disruption of illicit drug operations in a safe manner, particularly targeting criminal organizations.

Shared Outcome(s):

  • Reduced demand for illicit drugs in targeted populations and areas;
  • Reduced impacts of illicit drug use through prevention and treatment efforts; and
  • Reduced supply of illicit drugs.

Governance Structure(s):

The governance structure of the Strategy consists of an Assistant Deputy Minister Steering Committee and working groups on policy and performance, prevention and treatment, enforcement, and communications. The governance structure is supported by the Strategic Initiatives and Law Reform Unit of the Department of Justice Canada.

The Assistant Deputy Minister Steering Committee (ADMSC), which is chaired by the Department of Justice Canada, oversees the implementation of the Strategy, making decisions necessary to advance the initiative, where required, and ensuring appropriate and timely outcomes for the initiative and accountability in the expenditure of initiative resources. The ADMSC prepares questions for the consideration of Deputy Ministers, where appropriate.

The Prevention and Treatment Working Group, chaired by Health Canada, oversees the development and implementation of the Prevention and Treatment Action Plans. The Enforcement Working Group, chaired by the Department of Public Safety Canada, oversees the development and implementation of the Enforcement Action Plan. The Policy and Performance Working Group, chaired by the Department of Justice Canada, oversees policy directions and outcomes for the Strategy and the work of the Sub-Committee on Evaluation and Reporting. The Communications Working Group, chaired by the Department of Justice Canada, oversees communication of the Strategy including, making decisions necessary to advance communication of the initiative and ensuring coordination of communication.

($ millions)
Federal Partners Federal Partner Program Activity (PA) Names of Programs for Federal Partners Total Allocation (from Start to End Date) Planned Spending for
2008-09
Actual Spending for
2008-09
Expected Results for
2008-09
Results Achieved in
2008-09
Department of Justice A1 Justice policies, laws and programs a. Drug Treatment Courts $16.2 M $3,631,276 $3,631,276 Reduced drug substances relapse among drug treatment court clients. The Drug Treatment Court Information System (DTC IS) is being enhanced to better collect drug substance relapse data. Results are inconclusive at this time given incomplete pilot site data. A recidivism study is also underway.
b. Youth Justice Fund (Treatment Action Plan) $6.8 M $1,588,283 $663,687

Increased collaboration between provincial officials responsible for youth justice services and health services in order to meet the needs of youth in the justice system who use illicit drugs.

Increased number of new or enhanced treatment models for drug-addicted youth in the justice system.

Increased number of mechanisms to share knowledge among justice system stakeholders of what models work well for drug-addicted youth in the justice system.

A total of 11 projects were funded in 2008-2009. Of the 11 projects, 5 were new and funded through contributions, 5 through grants and 1 was an on-going contribution from 2007-2008. The total value of these projects was $549,429 ($462,740 in contributions and $86,689 in grants).

Projects were undertaken in Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia and New Brunswick. The projects were with 6 provincial government departments, 3 were with front-line community organizations and 2 were with National organizations. The projects included the development and/or implementation of programming models (MB and ON), supporting participation of youth justice system representatives in the development of a province wide anti-drug strategy and program development (PEI), evaluation of existing drug treatment programs (BC), the development and delivery of an Atlantic conference to support the sharing of information and best practices, and support for two national conferences on the issue of youth with illicit substance abuse issues in the justice system. All Recipients have been encouraged to disseminate and share information on their projects as appropriate.

  c. Justice Canada Lead Role for the National Anti-Drug Strategy $3.1 M $616,895 $534,183 Effective leadership of the federal response to concerns around illicit drug prevention, treatment and enforcement through:
  • exercising overarching responsibility for policy and coordination;
  • maintaining the NADS Governance Structure;
  • leading and coordinating all NADS communications activities;
  • taking lead responsibility for accountability – evaluation and performance reporting.
Policy and Coordination:
  • Initiated the NADS Speaker Series;
  • Organized and hosted the National Forum on Drug Treatment and Youth in Conflict with the Law;
  • Introduced Bill C-15 (minimum penalties for serious drug offences);
  • Oversaw NADS involvement in the new global Political Declaration and Action Plan adopted at the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs;
  • Participated in meetings and workshops of the OAS Inter-American Anti-Drug Commission (CICAD).

Governance structure:

  • Chaired the NADS, ADM Steering Committee;
  • Chaired multiple meetings of the NADS Policy and Performance Working Group;
  • Participated in meetings of the Prevention and Treatment, and Enforcement Working Groups.

Communications:

  • Organized the Communications Working Group meetings and numerous horizontal meetings between NADS communications advisors;
  • Produced bi-weekly NADS Communications Status Reports
  • Oversaw 22 NADS announcements, including six announcements led by Justice;
  • Oversaw 2 NADS related Ministerial releases: one tri-ministerial message and one message from the Minister of Health;
  • Maintained the NADS website.

Evaluation and reporting:

  • Chaired the Policy and Performance Working Group’s Sub-Committee on Evaluation and Reporting;
  • Refined the performance measurement strategy, identified baseline information and developed reporting templates for uniform reporting;
  • Provided training to partner departments and agencies on the reporting templates;
  • Coordinated the DPR and RPP processes;
  • Produced the first NADS Annual Report.
  • Developed a Request for Proposal for a methodological framework to support cost-effectiveness analysis;
  • Initiated the NADS implementation evaluation.
Health Canada   a. Mass Media Campaign (Prevention Action Plan) $29.8 M $5,958,090 $3,489,000 Increase level of general knowledge and awareness of illicit drugs and the negative health and social effects associated with illicit drug use, among parents and teens

Only the parent-targeted media campaign was released and thus its impact results are limited to information on one target population – parents.

The rate of recall for the TV advertisement increased from 32% in the pre-sample to 73% in the post-sample. An increase in recalling the ad can be translated into a successful increase in parental awareness of illicit drugs health effects.

The sample of parents who recall any advertising (TV, web, radio) rated their overall knowledge about illicit drugs (including the number of drugs they are aware of, the harms associated with these drugs, and the influences of drugs on their children) higher than those parents who did not recall any advertising. These same parents who rated their knowledge as high, also noted an increase in their knowledge of being aware of the number of drugs available, the harms associated with these drugs, and the influences of drugs on their children.

This sample showed an increase in their level of knowledge as attributed to recalling the mass media campaign.

3.4.3 Controlled Substances

b. Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund (DSCIF)

(Prevention Action Plan)

$59 M $9,600,000 $4,889,655

Expected Outputs:

  1. Establish baseline of level of awareness and understanding of illicit drug issues and harmful health and social effects associated with illicit drug use.
  2. Prevention research, knowledge products, resources & tools
  3. National & Community-based Projects
  4. Consultations, Collaborations & Partnerships

Expected Immediate Outcomes:

  1. Increased awareness & understanding of illicit drugs & their negative consequences
  2. Enhanced uptake of knowledge in communities to address illicit drug use & its negative consequences

DSCIF implemented a strategy to build capacity among funded recipients – this includes providing evaluation training and Health Canada standardized tools to collect baseline information/ pre- and post- evaluation information on all funded projects (rather than carrying out project specific outcome evaluations). It is anticipated that this baseline collection of information will begin in Fall 2009, thus the expected output is planned to be achieved in the 2009-10 FY.

Establishing a baseline is now planned for 2009-2010 because the first projects were signed for funding in Q4 2008-09.

Funding was initiated in the Q4 2008-09 on 3 new National DSCIF projects and 60 new Regional DSCIF projects, thus successfully achieving output 3.

Nature of approved and funded projects:

  • 25 projects are targeted at increasing awareness/understanding of healthy lifestyle choices & of illicit drugs & their negative consequences, thus contributing to achieving immediate outcome 1;
  • 30 projects are focused on acquiring/improving capacity (knowledge & skills) to avoid illicit drug use, thus contributing to output 2 and immediate outcome 2; and
  • 8 projects are targeted at increasing the engagement of community structures/networks in health promotion and prevention to prevent illicit drug use among youth (ages 10-24), thus contributing to expected output 4.
3.4 Substance Use and Abuse

c. Drug Treatment Funding Program (DTFP)

(Treatment Action Plant)

$124.7 M $29,500,000 $1,781,337 Enhanced collaboration on responses to DTFP treatment systems’ issues within and among jurisdictions

Collaboration with jurisdictions is becoming increasingly enhanced:

a) Following the call for proposals, an average of 10 bi-lateral meetings were held with each P/T to discuss and/or clarify issues related to the nature/scope of applications under the DTFP.

b) Feb. 2009: A National-level Best Practices workshop was held [attended by 47 participants from across the country] – providing the opportunity for program planners, policy makers, and front line workers to network/share their experiences in early intervention treatment.

c) Three F/P/T Working Group conference calls were held to allow P/Ts to present their plans for enhancing treatment systems. The Provinces of Nova Scotia and British Columbia and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) each presented their plans.

d) As of June 2009, the management of the project related to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside “Transitional Assertive Community Treatment Team and Women’s Residential Program/Day Program for Women Survival Sex Workers” will be transferred to the BC Region.

The roll out of the program has been delayed by 1 year and only 6 projects have been signed to date (4 projects for treatment system improvements; 2 projects on treatment services and program enhancements).

4.1.1.2 First Nations and Inuit Mental Health and Addictions

d. National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program

(Treatment Action Plan)

$36 M $5,900,000 $5,600,000

Enhanced capacity to plan/ deliver a range of treatment services & programs to targeted populations

Research applied to NNADP for the purpose of enhancing the program’s services.

Capacity to plan/deliver a range of treatment services and programs to targeted populations is becoming increasingly enhanced:

Activities included:

  • conducting regional needs assessments;
  • establishing the First Nations Addictions Advisory Panel to guide the development of a new national treatment framework;
  • enhancing the training and certification opportunities of NNADAP workers;
  • supporting accreditation of treatment centres;
  • continuing the design and implementation of 4 mental wellness team pilot projects;
  • launching a pilot impact study in 3 First Nations communities designed to examine NNADAP outputs and outcomes; and
  • continuing work to modernize addictions and treatment services including increased research, regional capacity building, and establishing strategic partnerships with various First Nations organizations.
3.4.3 Controlled Substances

e. Office of Controlled Substances

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$12.8 M $2,142,000 $877,267

Establish baseline measure for “Industry and sites comply with legislation and regulations” (PAA)

Increased understanding of compliance and policy/regulations/legislation

Baseline yet to be established. Rating Guide [for measuring compliance to Precursor Control policies and regulations] to be approved 2009-10.

3 FTEs staffed to increase capacity to monitor compliance.

60% of Licensed Dealers were inspected this year and 98% were partially compliant – this represents an increase in the inspection rate (33%) from 2007-08 and will be input in the Information Database for the purpose of increasing an understanding of compliance to precursor control regulations.

Information Database is near the start of implementation. This DB will ease the monitoring of compliance pursuant to an inspection (Licensed Dealers’ compliance history, etc.). Thus, the use of this DB will serve to increase an understanding of compliance of policy/regulations/legislation.

There were 1419 Loss and Theft reports completed and 575 forgeries reported, thus leading to an effective measurement of compliance to legislation/regulations.

A client survey is currently being developed for distribution in 2009-10. This information will serve to measure the proportion of regulated parties whom are aware of [and understand] legislation and regulations related to controlled substances. This will serve as a baseline for measuring the level of stakeholders’/parties’ understanding of compliance and regulations/legislation.

    f. Drug Analysis Services (Enforcement Action Plan) $49.2 M $11,418,000 $8,400,000

Establish baseline measure for “Illegal drug operations are dismantled in a safe manner” (PAA)

Increased capacity to provide timely and expert support

No results to date since a baseline measure has not yet been established. However, 34 clandestine laboratories were dismantled in 2008-09 with DAS assistance.

Two positions were staffed with NADS resources. Laboratory instrumentation was purchased to increase drug analysis capacity. An increase in timely and expert support occurred this fiscal year:

  • 96% of backlog was eliminated [Backlog = exhibits that had not been analysed and returned to the submitting agency within 60 days of receipt by DAS]
  • reduced average time to respond to analysis requests (from 90 days in 2007-2008 to 59 days in 2008-2009)
  • increased resources allocated to clandestine laboratory investigations (from 3295 hours in 2007-2008 to 4828 hours in 2008-2009)
  • increased number of law enforcement personnel who received training from DAS (from 1266 in 2007-2008 to 1597 in 2008-2009)

MMP « The program will become effective upon Royal Assent»

$3.4 M [1] $700,000 $0
3. Canadian Institutes of Health Research 1.2 Strategic Priority Research

Research on Drug Treatment Model

(Treatment Action Plan)

$4.0 M $974,998 $461,211

Increased knowledge translation and sharing of the trends and related consequences of illicit drugs

CIHR launched two Requests for Applications in April of 2008 with respect to the National Anti-Drug Strategy initiative – one for the Catalyst grant program, and one for the Team grant program. Applications were submitted to CIHR in October of 2008. CIHR funding of the catalyst and team grants commenced in 2008-09 to fund research regarding increased awareness and understanding of illicit drugs and their negative consequences. Funding of the team grants will continue through 2011-12.

4. Department of Public Safety Canada 3.1 Law Enforcement Policy

a. National Coordination of Efforts to Improve Intelligence, Knowledge, Management, Research, Evaluation

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$4.0 M $800,000 $606,000

Safer Communities and more effective policing through strategic national law enforcement policies

National Coordination of Enforcement Action Plan, specifically, led the Enforcement Action Plan Working Group. Participated and shared knowledge and information with stakeholders through domestic and international forum to further the Enforcement Action Plan (e.g., FPT Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials, National Framework for Action to Reduce the Harms Associated with Alcohol and Other Drug Substances in Canada (May 2008), Canadian, Chief of Police Drug Abuse Committee, Inter-American Drug Abuse Commission (May & December 2008), the United National Commission on Narcotic Drugs (March 2009)). Funded four (4) research and other initiatives in support of the Enforcement Action Plan. Supported the Minister of Public Safety, through briefings to respond to emerging issues related to the Enforcement Action Plan.

Community Safety and Partnerships

b. Crime Prevention Funding and Programming: (Crime Prevention Action Fund & Research and Knowledge Development Fund)

(Prevention Action Plan)

$20.0 M $3,000,000 $3,394,060

Enhanced support for targeted at-risk populations.

Enhanced knowledge in communities to address illicit drug use and its negative consequences.

25 NADS related crime prevention projects funded regionally throughout the country.

On track to be able to report on outputs and early outcomes (i.e. Enhanced support for targeted at-risk populations / enhanced knowledge in communities to address illicit drug use and its negative consequences, etc.) in following year with understanding that projects are in varying stages of implementation.

5. Royal Canadian Mounted Police 1.1.2.7

a. Drug and Organized Crime Awareness Services

(Prevention Action Plan)

$15.1 M $3,010,000 $2,278,000

Increased awareness of illicit drugs and issues related to their use in sport, within school and Aboriginal communities

There were 6213 awareness presentations given during the fiscal year of 2008-2009 targeting 163,612 people which includes youth, parents, aboriginal youth, aboriginal parents and professionals.

For the fiscal year of 2008-2009, 1149 DOCAS training sessions were provided to professionals, parents and students.

A total of 3061 partnerships were established and maintained with other provincial, territorial, municipal, aboriginal, and non government partners as well as with other police agencies/detachments.

DOCAS coordinators distributed 270,550 publications within communities across Canada.

The program Kids & Drugs was launched Nationally November 2008. There were 285 new facilitators trained from communities throughout Canada. A total of 150,000 parent booklets, 4340 training manuals, 22,600 posters and 69,000 magnets and pens were distributed.

A total of 2553 D.A.R.E. classes were conducted (each D.A.R.E. class consists of 10 lessons), as well as 10 presentations to 209 parents. The program reached 67,719 students in 1321 schools and of those, 1266 of the students were Aboriginal.

Drug Endangered Children (DEC) is an early intervention initiative that seeks to stop the cycle of child abuse caused by the exposure to drug activity. It involves a resource guide and training programs for service delivery personnel, supervisors/managers, protocol partners and the general public. This program has been under development in 2008-2009 and will be rolled out nationally in the fall of 2009.

The Aboriginal Shield Program (ASP) is in the final phase of revising all of the manuals to reflect a greater diversity of Aboriginal cultures and to incorporate the latest facts about Canadian drug issues, including emerging social challenges like Aboriginal gangs. The ASP will consist of two 12-lesson manuals for grades 5/6 and 7/8. The first 5 day Aboriginal Shield Community Facilitator Training pilot Course is being held in Ottawa, Ontario in November 2009, and will be represented by 9 Aboriginal communities from across Canada.

Drugs and Sport, a program that was revised in 2008-2009, was delivered 13 times to 549 amateur athletes, and delivered 9 times to 210 professional athletes. 1000 Drugs and Sport publications were disseminated.

Drugs in the Workplace were delivered to 1678 participants.

Two five day Drug Awareness Officer Training (DAOT) courses were held in 2008-2009. A total of 60 police officers, that included municipal, regional, provincial and RCMP, were trained.

3.5.2 Community and Youth Programs

b. National Youth Intervention and Diversion Program

(Treatment Action Plan)

$3.4 M $745,429 $565,494

Inventory of validated risk/needs screening and/or assessment tools that will result in:

Increased police awareness of risk and protective factors of offenders and victims

Increased community satisfaction with RCMP crime -prevention-related services

Increased police awareness of community-based resources and referral procedures

Increased referrals to addictions treatment and intervention programs by police

  • An Expert Advisory Panel was established and terms of reference developed. A first meeting was held late in FY 2008-09.
  • Internal and external partners were identified through presentations and discussions.
  • A program logic model and an evaluation framework were developed.
  • A short-list of potential pilot / implementation sites was developed and consultations initiated.
  • A training package was developed and will be further assessed. Training was delivered in Charlottetown, PEI, Williams Lake, BC, and Surrey, BC, which resulted in, among other things, increased police awareness of risk and protective factors of offenders/victims.
  • A pool of crime prevention professionals was established and will be further developed. For instance, in all 11 RCMP Districts in New Brunswick, the Community Program Officer (CPO) program serves to enhance communities by providing increased preventative and public reassurance programs while supporting core policing operations.
1.1.2.9

c. Marijuana and Clandestine Lab Teams/Proceeds of Crime

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$91.4 M $14,068,000 $12,211,000

Increase capacity to safely dismantle marijuana and synthetic drug operations

Eliminate importation/exportation production and distribution of illicit substances of abuse, specifically to marijuana and synthetic drugs, the diversion of precursor chemicals and the involvement of organized criminals and crime groups in these activities

Eliminate the health and public safety hazards resulting from the illicit production and distribution of marijuana and synthetic drugs

Maintain the integration, collaboration and capacity between sectors, law enforcement agencies, governments, communities and international partners to address the illicit importation/exportation, production and distribution of MGO, SDO, of abuse, the diversion of precursor chemicals and the related health and public safety standards

New positions were deployed with NADS funding to SDO and MGO teams.

Flexibility was afforded to the Divisions to use “A” Based funded positions to bolster the SDO/MGO (NADS) positions across Canada.

The Synthetic Drug Initiative (SDI) was commissioned to address the synthetic drug problem in Canada. Working groups have been formed internally in order to interface on NADS funded positions distributed across the organization. Also an external working group including the RCMP, Health Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, Environment Canada, Revenue Canada, Public Safety, Department of Justice, Public Prosecution Service of Canada and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, has been formed to collaborate on NADS funded positions across Government.

Separate work group has been formed with key Health Canada officials responsible for Policy and Regulatory Affairs for the purposes of making changes / additions to the Precursor Control Regulations, Rescheduling Amphetamine Type Stimulants and updating destruction authorities for seized controlled substances and precursors.

A Joint Forces Operation is currently being sought with Canada Border Services Agency – Intelligence Directorate to enhance the sharing of intelligence and ultimately assist in the stemming of the smuggling of the precursors being imported into Canada by sophisticated organized crime groups. There were 257 MGO seizures, and 20 Clandestine Laboratory seizures made by the NADS teams in 2008/2009. For MGO’s this resulted in the seizure of 182,404 plants, and 6,447 kg of marihuana bud seized as part of these For Clan. Labs, over 150 kg of methamphetamine and 615 kg of MDMA were seized by NADS teams as part of their disruptions. Of the 20 Clan. Labs dismantled, 6 were capable of producing an excess of 10 kg of finished drug product.

6. Correctional Service Canada 3.0 Community Supervision

Case Preparation and Supervision of provincial Offenders

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$23.3 M [2] $3,700,000 $0

Timely case preparation; rate of offenders successfully reintegrated into the community (if legislation regarding mandatory minimum penalties for serious drug offences is passed)

The program will become effective upon Royal Assent

7. National Parole Board of Canada Conditional Release Decisions and Open and Accountable Decision Processes.

Conditional Release and Pardon Decisions

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$7.5 M [3] $2,200,000 $0

Conditional release and pardon decisions and decision processes that safeguard Canadian communities

The program will become effective upon Royal Assent.

8. Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions 1.1 Prosecution of drug, organized crime and Criminal Code offences

a. Prosecution and prosecution -related services

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$9.9 M $1,300,000 $1,495,299

Provision of pre-charge legal advice and litigation support, as well as prosecution of drug offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) in response to the workload generated by the enhanced RCMP dedicated anti-drug teams and criminal intelligence and technical operations support staff

In 2008-09, the PPSC handled 15,140 prosecution files that related to either drug production or distribution offences or both (pursuant to CDSA 5(1), 5(2), 6(1), 6(2), 7(1) and 7(2)). Of these, 13,405 included distribution offences, whereas 1,735 included production offences*.

The funding for 2008-09 allowed for the hiring of an additional 7.5 FTEs for drug prosecutions conducted by ODPP staff prosecutors and for prosecution support.

(*N.B.: Close to 10% of the total number of files included both production and distribution offences.)

b. Prosecution of serious drug offences under the CDSA

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$33.5 M [4] $8,600,000 $0

Provision of prosecution-related advice and litigation support during police investigations, and prosecution of drug charges under the CDSA resulting from the proposed Minimum Mandatory Penalties

The program will become effective upon Royal Assent

9. Canada Border Services Agency Security

Border Intelligence, Precursor Chemical Diversion, Analysis and Scientific Services

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$7.8 M $1,159,000 $1,070,000

The resources will be focused on intelligence gathering, information sharing, enforcement activities, assessment capabilities and laboratory support and services.

Commence implementation and hiring of staff. For the CBSA, the reporting period for the NADS is from September 2007, the commencement of the Strategy, to March 31, 2008.

Criminal Investigations Division (CID): has been working with internal and external partners on this initiative to support and complement enforcement efforts. CID will continue to investigate referrals for offences against the Customs Act in relation to the illegal import and export of precursor chemicals. In 2008/09 CID has opened four criminal investigations, with enforcement partners, into offences linked to smuggling of controlled substances. Two of these have been concluded, with conviction, and the other two cases remain ongoing

Intelligence: Enhancements have been made to the Precursor Chemical Diversion Program within its Intelligence Program to provide for improved functional guidance and direction to enhance the management of regional intelligence drug programs responsible for the identification, suppression and interdiction of contraband and other significant border criminality. Each region has an assigned officer responsible for precursor chemical matters and liaison with law enforcement partners.

Science & Technology

Border Intelligence, Precursor Chemical Diversion, Analysis and Scientific Services

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$4.9 M $636,000 $627,000

The resources will be focused on intelligence gathering, information sharing, enforcement activities, assessment capabilities and laboratory support and services.

Laboratory and Scientific Services: Additional chemists have been hired and workload on precursors has increased from 23 Class A precursors analyzed in 2007-08 to 172 analyzed in 2008-09 (of which a large portion were due to an intelligence target on Gamma-Butyrolactone). Additionally, funds were used to analyze a variety of designer substances and to synthesize precursor primary reference standards.

With respect to research activities, progress has been made on sampling concepts/techniques and work in partnership with both industry and other government departments to develop sampling aids has commenced.

The Laboratory has acquired two existing Contraband Outfitted Mobile Examination Trucks (COMETs) and is currently re-designing the interior to allow for safe sampling and testing of unknown substances in a port of entry setting. The COMETs were obtained in September 2008 and have been used 3 times between January 2009 and March 2009 for suspected precursor sampling in marine mode.

10. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade 1.2 Diplomacy and Advocacy - International Operations and Programs

Annual Contributions to UNODC and CICAD

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$4.5 M $900,000 $900,000

Improved capacity of UNODC to fulfill its mandate in the fight against drugs and international crime at the global level.

Improved capacity of CICAD to fulfill its mandate in the fight against drugs in the Americas.

DFAIT successfully managed projects involving the provision of training, equipment, technical and legal expertise resulting in increased capacity of beneficiary states and government entities to prevent and combat international crime and drugs.

Capacity building activities addressed both the supply of, and demand for, illicit drugs and also responded to Canadian policy priorities.

11. Canada Revenue Agency 4 Reporting Compliance

Special Enforcement Program

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$4.2 M $788,149 $788,149

15 audits of MGOs and clandestine laboratories

During the fiscal year, CRA performed in excess of 200 audits of individuals involved in the production and sale of marijuana. As a result of NADS funding, CRA was able to perform 15 audits. The 15 audits resulted in $2,965,198 of additional federal tax. The auditees would also be responsible for provincial tax, interest and penalties.

12. Public Works and Government Services Canada 1.7 Specialized Programs and Services

Forensic Accounting Management Group

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$1.5 M $187,850 $187,850

To remove financial incentive for engaging in criminal activity

FAMG provided forensic accounting analysis on three RCMP NADS investigations. The analysis is critical in determining whether the assets of the suspects were derived from criminal activities, thus allowing the Government of Canada to seize these assets and thereby remove the financial incentive for engaging in criminal activities.

13. Financial Transactions and analysis Centre of Canada 4881 Collection, Analysis and Dissemination of Financial Information

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada

(Enforcement Action Plan)

$2.5 M $237,000 $237,000

Enhanced support to law enforcement

Development of financial intelligence

Ensuring compliance in high-risk reporting sectors

FINTRAC continues to increase its capacity to analyze information it receives to create financial intelligence that is relevant to drug-related cases and strengthen the communication with law enforcement and intelligence partners. The funding provided through NADS resulted in additional detection and analytical capacity to pro-actively detect and disclose drug-related cases referred to law enforcement, representing a 10% increase of all drug-related cases disclosed to law enforcement in 2008/2009.

Total $578.5 M $113,360,970 $54,687,468    

Comments on Variances:

1. Department of Justice – b. Funding criteria was established, posted on the internet and sent to Provincial/Territorial representatives. A number of proposals submitted did not meet program criteria or required extensive development work which resulted in lapsing funds. Despite reasonable delivery against government priorities relating to the National Anti Drug Strategy generally, uptake on the new funds allocated for drug treatment as part of the NADS initiative was slow. Once this issue was identified by management, a request was made in September 2008 to reprofile some of the NADS funding. While other NADS partners succeeded in reprofiling NADS funds, the Youth Justice requests were not approved by Justice. Strategies are being developed and implemented to ensure that the variance is addressed.

2. Health Canada – a. When an election is called (as occurred in 2008) all advertising spending comes to a halt, this was when PCO put the NADS mass media campaign (youth component) on hold. Health Canada has been waiting and trying to move forward on this strategy since Sept, 2008. In FY 08/09 due to the lack of approvals, the Department lapsed approx $2.2M.

2. Health Canada – b. DSCIF launched a call for proposals early in the 2008/09 FY, but it had many layers of review and approval, followed by a federal election and then a new minister. After the approvals happened the program was late in the fiscal and a majority of the new projects only had the last quarter of the fiscal to incur approved expenses. DSCIF has reprofiled some money from 08/09 into future fiscal.

2. Health Canada – c. This began as an entirely new program (unlike DSCIF that has simply refocused its money under NADS). Its main recipients are the provinces/territories which, as another level of government, have their own levels of approvals even before an application is submitted. DTFP has reprofiled some money from 08/09 into future fiscal.

2. Health Canada – e. Delays experienced in 2007/08 affected the progress of completed outputs in 2008/09. These delays were due to issues faced during the building of capacity and the development of competency. Despite delays, all OCS outputs have started (including the Information Database, Client Survey, and Compliance Rating Guide). In addition, the variance for disposal is due to the uncertainty of increase demand and impact to the reimbursement of disposal cost for authorized controlled substances.

3. Canadian Institutes of Health Research - The discrepancy is explained by the fact that in the competition only 2 Catalyst Grants were fundable and that only part of the three funded team grants were related to illicit drug use (thus affecting the amount of NADS money allocated to these grants - and causing a lapse in planned NADS spending). It is always difficult to evaluate the uptake of a RFA when it is launched. Only 4 Catalyst Grant applications were received and 8 Team Grant applications. The success rates of the two grant programs are in the normal range.

4. Department of Public Safety Canada – a. Staff turnover resulted in some lapsed funding in 2008-09.

5. Royal Canadian Mounted Police – c. A lot of the Divisions have had difficulty staffing positions, or have had the expected transfers and promotions occur within their areas. As this area is a priority for the RCMP, the Divisions are aware of the importance of staffing these positions.

Results to be achieved by non-federal partners (if applicable): N/A

Contact information:
Catherine Latimer
General Counsel and Director General
Strategic Initiative Unit
613-957-9623
clatimer@justice.gc.ca

[1] This funding to implement MMPs for serious drug offences is held in a frozen allotment, to be released subject to the proposed legislation receiving Royal Assent.

[2] This funding to implement MMPs for serious drug offences is held in a frozen allotment, to be released subject to the proposed legislation receiving Royal Assent.

[3] This funding to implement MMPs for serious drug offences is held in a frozen allotment, to be released subject to the proposed legislation receiving Royal Assent.

[4] This funding to implement MMPs for serious drug offences is held in a frozen allotment, to be released subject to the proposed legislation receiving Royal Assent.