PARTNERSHIP FOR A DRUG FREE CANADA

OUR GOAL:

To reduce the trial of illicit drugs and misuse of prescription drugs by youth in Canada.

 

OUR STRATEGY:

It is a proven fact that when families engage in conversation about drugs, the incidence of trial goes down significantly – we're going to help make that happen. Our strategy is simple; use the persuasive power of multi-media drug prevention messaging in 3 ways:

  1. To inform the public about the severity of the drug issue with youth in Canada, its consequences, and the ultimate cost to society. Things like gang violence, teen pregnancy, suicide, and overdoses are all things that our children face alone every day. It's our duty to speak up.
  2. To empower parents with the knowledge needed to talk to their kids about illicit drugs and non-medical use of prescription drugs. We know this makes a difference by cutting the chance of usage by up to 50%.
  3. To inform kids and young adults about the dangers of using illicit drugs and non-medical use of prescription drugs using the power of prevention through education messaging. This means using all channels and mediums to get our message across.

 

OUR PLAN:

Starting on June 1, 2011, the PDFC plans to launch massive and continuous national multi-media drug prevention campaigns that target parents and youth across Canada.

Volunteer advertising agencies research and create prevention/education messages; media donates time and space for these messages; and corporations and foundations help provide the funds necessary for research, production, and administration.

ABOUT US:

The PDFC is a registered charity made up of volunteer private-sector partners from major media, advertising, production, research and corporate industries. It now has offices, a website and has launched on June 1, 2011 its first national multi-media campaign.

 

OUR BEGINNING:

Over the last few years concerned Canadian citizens got together to discuss the growing trend of use of illicit drugs and non-medical use of prescription drugs by youth. They wanted to help.

From those discussions, the PDFC was created and became fully active in 2008. Since then, the Partnership has gained momentum by expanding its board of directors to eleven and hiring an Executive Director in 2009. It now has offices, a website and is planning to launch its first national multi-media campaign in the Fall of 2010.

 

OUR ROOTS:

The Partnership for a Drug Free Canada – PDFC, is modeled after similar organizations in the U.S.A. and Latin America.

Since being founded in the U.S. in 1986:

  • Over 350 advertising agencies have created, for free, some 3,500 public service announcement messages.
  • The media have donated over $2 Billion in free time and space.
  • Hundreds of corporations/ foundations have donated funds for the initiative.
  • Results have been extremely encouraging as research has shown an overall reduction in drug use by kids (Studies by Yale, Johns Hopkins, NYU and University of Michigan have all concluded that the PDFA campaign has had a significant impact in helping to reduce the trial of illicit drugs.)

OUR BOARD:

The current board of directors is comprised of fourteen people from across Canada. The current members of the board are:

richard pound:
Partner at Stikeman Elliott and Founding President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), former Chancellor of McGill University and former Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Jim McCoubrey:
PFDFC - Past Chair. Former EVP/COO & interim President of CBC

France chrÉtien-desmarais:
Businesswoman and Philanthropist

Pam Dinsmore:
Vice President, Regulatory, Cable at Rogers Inc.

Tracy Ewing:
Communications Professional

Clint Forster:
Former President Saskatoon Telecable Ltd. and retired Director of Shaw Communications Inc.

 

 

OUR SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

Shelly Porter-Serviss:
Senior District Sales Manager – Alberta, Eli Lilly Canada Inc.

Gerry Frascione:
CEO, BBDO North America

daniel lamarre:
President and CEO, Cirque du Soleil

Raymonde Lavoie:
President and Owner, Des Arts Communication

Christophe Lecomte CA:
Private entrepreneur. Former CFO of Corus Radio and Telemedia Communications

James Little:
Chief Marketing Officer, Shaw Communications Inc.

Alan Maislin:
Chairman Maisliner Logistics

Eloise Opheim:
Former Executive Director, Parent Resources Institute for Drug Education

Richard Padulo:
Director, Marketing & Branding, Immersion Media

With the Help & Support of:
Marc Paris:
Executive Director

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jim Blackburn:
Professor Emeritus & Past Dean, College of Pharmacy & Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan

Information on this site is not to be used for diagnosis, treatment or referral services and PDFC does not provide diagnostic, treatment or referral services through the Internet. Individuals should contact their personal physician, and/or their local addiction or mental health agency for further information.