PREMIER ADDRESSES CAPACITY CROWD AT ADDICTIONS CONFERENCE

Premier Lorne Calvert spoke to more than 300 delegates this morning at a sold-out national conference on substance abuse that has attracted participants from British Columbia to Nunavut to Prince Edward Island.

The Government of Saskatchewan is hosting Moving Forward 2006, sponsored by the Council of the Federation on behalf of Canada's First Ministers. Bringing together addictions and mental health workers, human service sector workers, law enforcement professionals and many others, the conference will explore best practices and new approaches to preventing and treating substance abuse.

Registrations were closed early last week after the event reached full capacity.

The Premier urged conference participants to share ideas and approaches that would protect the human potential lost each year to substance abuse and addiction in Saskatchewan and across Canada.

"The next two and a half days are very important ones in our common struggle against substance abuse and addiction," Calvert said during his opening address. "They are of immense importance to the people whose lives you touch in your day-to-day work. Today I see a particular focus of Project Hope coming alive, which is putting an emphasis on evidence-based practices."

Moving Forward 2006 is taking place at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Saskatoon. It will end with closing remarks by Minister of Healthy Living Services Graham Addley at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1st.

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For More Information, Contact:

Jocelyn Argue Health Phone: (306)787-4083