By Randy Hoback's MP Report

May 9 is National Honour Day

May 7, 2014 | 4:24 PM

May 9th is National Day of Honour

I invite constituents to participate in local National Day of Honour activities to coincide with events taking place across Canada on May 9, 2014 in recognition of the military mission in Afghanistan. These cross country commemorations will give all Canadians the opportunity to salute the fallen, honour currently serving members and veterans, celebrate the strength of Canada’s remarkable military families and give tribute to all who participated in Canada’s 12-year mission in Afghanistan.

The events in Saskatchewan will take place at 17 Wing Detachment Dundurn and at CFB Moose Jaw. Canada’s communities have shown tremendous support for our Canadian Armed Forces during their time in Afghanistan, and this National Day of Honour will be a historic opportunity for the country to recognize the strength and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. A full list of events happening across Canada is available at: http://www.app.forces.gc.ca/ndoh-jndc/ndoh-activities.html

Canadians are also encouraged to organize their own commemorative events, with a two-minute Moment of Silence to coincide with the event on Parliament Hill at 1:30 pm EST. A guide to planning commemorative services is available on the website.

The Afghanistan Memorial Vigil will be displayed in the Hall of Honour during the Afghanistan Commemoration Parade on May 9, and will then travel across Canada and to Washington, DC. The Memorial Vigil contains 190 plaques representing 201 fallen who had served under Canadian command which were formerly part of the Kandahar Air Field cenotaph.

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A suite of educational products such as photos, videos, and stories of Canada’s contribution in Afghanistan is also available online. Canadians are encouraged to post their own personal message of appreciation for the troops on the National Day of Honour. You can access the site by clicking here: http://goo.gl/J3x999

Our Government is proud to recognize the strength of the Canadian Armed Forces. The National Day of Honour is an opportunity for all Canadians to honour our and women in uniform, as well as their families, friends and the communities who held the home front during our 12 year long mission in Afghanistan.

Participate in Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day on Saturday, May 10th

Prescription drug misuse a growing problem in Canada. That is why I encourage constituents to take part in National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day on Saturday, May 10th.

Hosted by the Canadian Associations of Chiefs of Police, National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day provides an opportunity for Canadians to drop off their unused and expired prescription drugs to local police and community partners at specific locations to ensure safe disposal. This initiative aims to reduce the volume of prescription drugs available for misuse and inform the public of the harms associated with prescription drug abuse.

Our Government is taking action to address this complex issue and ensure that drugs intended to serve as medicine do not become the source of abuse and addiction. As announced in Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government has committed $44.9 million over five years to expand the scope of its National Anti-Drug Strategy to include activities to address prescription drug abuse. Addressing prescription drug abuse is a shared responsibility for which Federal/Provincial/Territorial governments and other key stakeholders have committed to work together. By working together, we can protect Canadians from the misuse of prescription drugs and tackle head on prescription drug abuse and addiction.

National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day is one of the ways the Government of Canada is helping to prevent the misuse of drugs. The Government of Canada is also addressing the abuse of illicit drugs through the National Anti-Drug Strategy, a collaborative effort focused on prevention and access to treatment for those with drug dependencies, while at the same time getting tough on drug dealers and producers who threaten the safety of our youth and communities.

The 2012 Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey (CADUMS) indicated that about 1 million youth, aged 15 to 24 years, reported having used a psychoactive pharmaceutical in the past 12 months. About 210,000 of these youth also report having abused them. They often get these drugs from family medicine cabinets and from friends.