Canada's International Role

2005
ISBN: 0-662-69396-5
Cat. No.: H128-1/05-443-2

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Canada's Drug Strategy is the federal response to the harmful use of substances. These include illegal drugs, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, inhalants and solvents. The Strategy takes a balanced approach to reducing both the demand for, and the supply of, drugs and substances. It contributes to a healthier, safer Canada through prevention, treatment, enforcement, and harm reduction initiatives.

International Leadership

The Government of Canada participates in international efforts to limit the supply of, and the demand for, illegal substances.

Canada is a party to three United Nations drug control agreements: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (as amended), the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

The Government of Canada played a pivotal role in the development of these international conventions and participates actively in international efforts aimed at their effective implementation.

Health Canada is responsible for the implementation of these conventions in Canada and reporting under these conventions to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). These organizations monitor implementation of the conventions.

Canada is also an active participant in international initiatives dealing with diversion of pharmaceuticals and precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of illegal synthetic drugs, such as methamphetamine. The Government of Canada participates in prevention and demand reduction initiatives at the United Nations and at other international meetings. For example, Canada is an active member of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), which is a body of the Organization of American States (OAS).

Partnerships

Canada works with many countries, including Brazil, Australia, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Argentina, as well as with multilateral bodies such as the European Union, in the international fight against drugs. However, Canada and the United States have a particularly close level of cooperation in addressing drug trafficking and related organized crime activities.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency frequently work in close collaboration with their U.S. counterparts. Through the Canada-U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum, and other means, the Government of Canada is committed to continuing this cooperation in developing effective strategies to deal with the cross-border movement of illegal drugs.

Canada's Drug Strategy builds on many measures already in place to address smuggling and organized crime, such as the Canada-U.S. Integrated Border Enforcement Teams and Integrated Proceeds of Crime Units.

International Activity and Support

Canada's activities internationally generally mirror the balanced approach, taken domestically. Reducing both the demand for, and the supply of, drugs is a primary focus of international activity.

The bulk of Canada's international drug control activities is through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD). Canada's annual voluntary contributions are $2.0 million to the UNODC and $1.0 million to CICAD. Additional funding for specific projects and activities may augment these amounts.

Within CICAD, Canada has devoted much effort to supporting the development and promoting the implementation of the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM). The MEM is an innovative peer assessment of national drug control strategies in the Hemisphere. Canada served as the Chair of CICAD for the 2003-2004 period and currently holds the Chair of the CICAD Expert Group on Demand Reduction and the Intergovernmental Working Group tasked with reviewing the MEM.

To learn more about Canada's Drug Strategy, please visit www.healthcanada.gc.ca/cds

Find out what governments, non-governmental organizations, and other partners are doing –National Framework for Action – Visit www.healthcanada.gc.ca/cds-nfa