Forum on drugs in Brandon draws questions, frustration

More than 150 people gathered in a standing-room only venue in Brandon on Tuesday evening to discuss problems with methamphetamine and other drugs in the city and what needs to take place to help people.

The forum was hosted by Westman Families of Addicts, which was formed last year to connect families dealing with addictions. It featured panelists from the Brandon Police Service,Brandon School Division, provincial and municipal governments, as well as from the mental health and addictions sectors, among others.

"I don't know about anyone else in this room, but I'm tired and I'm exhausted," said Kim Longstreet, who representedBrandon's Bear Clan.

Longstreet has been speaking out about the lack of services in the wake of her own son's methamphetamine addiction.

"I am sick and tired of hearing timelines and we're working on it and we've got plans," she said. "Stop talking and start doing. Let's just do it."

Longstreet's impassioned remarks toward the end the forum drew applause from attendees.

Police officer shares family's story

The forum also heard a presentation by Winnipeg police Const. Dan Noordman , whose 23-year-old son,Ayron, died after overdosing on fentanyl in June 2015.

"When you're a parent your child's life flashes before your eyes," said Noordman, of the morning he found his son dead in a room in the familyhome.

Several members of the audience wiped away tears as Noordman shared his story andpresented a slideshowof photos from Ayron's life.

"There is a giant hole in our house," he said.

Ayron suffered from mental health issues and anxiety as a teenager andself-medicated with alcohol and marijuana, according to Noordman. As as a young man, Ayronwas in the midst of starting a family with his girlfriend and was saving up so they could move into an apartment of their own.

Noordmansaid Ayron hadbeen sick with a sinus infection and bronchitis when he went out one night to visit a friend. He believes his soncame back home with a pill he thought would help him sleepbut was instead laced with a fatal dose of the powerfulopioid.

A toxicology report later determined there was enough fentanyl in his system to kill six people.

"We have to put a human face to combat the stigma that's attached to it," said Noordman , who has now dedicated his career to education and awareness.

He has made several presentations on his family's story since his son died.

"My son's death will help somebody it will save somebody," he said.

Getting ahead of the problem

Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest, who called Noordman 's story "scary", agreed that steps need to be taken to combat the problem.

"We still have to find strategies to get ahead of this," he said.

But getting ahead of the problem might be easier said than done.

Deborah Tacan, a Prevention and Education Consultant with the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, said the wait time to get into residential treatment in Brandon is currently at least two months.

"We put people on a wait list and we try to get them in as quick as we can," she said, addingthe foundation is seeing a lot more people in Brandon wanting help for crystal meth addictions.

Thea Dennis, executive director of Samaritan House in Brandon the city's largest food bank and winter shelter said the organization has also been hit by an increase in drug use.

In previous years, she said staff were able to spend time with shelter guests and help connect them with other resources before they were drawn into high-risk lifestyles.

Now, she says people are showing up with severe addictions and mental health issues. More staff have also been added to the shelter as a result.

More resources

With a new year and new city budget to prepare, Chrest said bolstering police resources to try and stop the drug trade could be one thing considered.

Noordman believes more resources should be focused on eliminating the demand for illicit drugs in the first place.

"They are not doing it to get high, they are doing it to end their pain," he said. "This isn't a police issue, this isn't a mental issue, this isn't a housing issue. This is an everybody issue."

For parents like Longstreet, solutions and help can't come soon enough.

"I love my son, I will never give up on my son," she said. "But he's going to give up.

"The time is now."