Unfortunately, that’s the attitude of a lot of people in Tofield, where an Edmonton-based organization hopes to open up a unique detox and rehab program for kids.

The Spirit Keeper Youth Society, whose mandate is to keep native youth out of the grip of drugs and gangs, wants to get into the rehab game. But rather than open a centre in the middle of the big city – the very place aboriginal kids are likely to get mired in that lifestyle – SKYS head Len

Untereiner wants to set up the program in a small, relatively quiet community, but still within easy reach of big-city resources.

One ideal location, he says, is Tofield, population 2,000, about 70 km east of Edmonton.

And there’s the rub. A lot of people choose to live in Tofield precisely because of its small-town peace and quiet, and the idea of inviting a bunch of drug-addicted, gang-affiliated ne’er-do-wells into their town is nothing short of horrifying to them.

“It just scares people,” says Nicole Giasson, editor of the Tofield Mercury, which has been closely following Untereiner’s attempts to convince the community his program will be a good thing for the town.

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