David Edgar Love: "I Think I Have Scientology By The Balls"
Anti-Narconon activist: David Edgar Love
villagevoice.com [Apr 20] ~ ...Many members of Anonymous who have supported Love over the last two and a
half years as he's waged a one-man war against Scientology's Narconon
drug treatment center in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
Sunday evening, news began to leak that one of Love's numerous
complaints about the treatment center to Canadian authorities was paying
off: Quebec health officials ordered the facility closed immediately,
even as Narconon appeals the government's finding that it failed
miserably in an attempt to get certification for its unscientific
methods of treating drug addiction.
Since the news broke, Love has been talking to Canadian journalists
as they scrambled to get details on the sudden closing, which came with
no advance public word from health officials.
After more than two years of telling his own story of witnessing
fraud and abuse at the center, and relentlessly pursuing Canadian
authorities with more than 3,700 pages of documents he had amassed about
the facility, Love was still in some shock that his work had suddenly,
and so spectacularly, paid off. "We weren't expecting this," he admitted. [cont at link]
Narconon Arrowhead deaths under investigation
Hillary Holten
mcalesternews.com [Apr 22] McALESTER — Two people have died in the last six months at Narconon
Arrowhead, also the subject of an earlier lawsuit and an ongoing
investigation into recent deaths into the facility.
Narconon Arrowhead in Canadian, Oklahoma is a non-profit drug and alcohol
rehablitation center.
Hillary Holten [see photo] (21) and Garbriel Graves (32) were found dead at Narconon
Arrowhead wthin the last six months according to a report from the
Pittsburg Sheriffs Dept.
More from David Love:
montrealgazette.com [Apr 19] ~ MONTREAL - Perhaps the lowest point in David Love’s “treatment” for
drug addiction at Narconon Trois Rivières was the five-hour sauna on his
25th day of five-hour saunas.
Being forced to yell at an ashtray
for hours on end – “Stand up, ashtray!” “Thank you.” “Sit back down,
ashtray!” – also left him confused and frustrated. But it was when Love
realized that the rehab centre inspired by the teachings of Scientology
was actually putting vulnerable addicts’ health at risk – and that he
had become a part of the machinery – that he decided to get out.
On Oct. 28, 2009, six months after he had gone from “graduate” of the
Narconon program to “Certified Counsellor,” Love left the facility and
began a crusade to have it shut down.
In July 2011, following his
complaint, the Quebec College of Physicians ordered Dr. Pierre Labonté,
Narconon’s “medical manager,” to cut his associations with the centre,
located about 125 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
The Quebec labour
relations tribunal also mediated in Love’s favour when he complained
about being paid $2.50 an hour as a staff member.
Then last Friday, 2½ years after Love began his campaign, public
health officials for the Mauricie region ordered Narconon to relocate
its 32 residents and told the organization they would not certify the
centre, because its approach was not recognized in this province, and
that its practices, including the saunas and massive doses of niacin,
were potentially putting patients’ health at risk.
Most of the
patients, from B.C. and other provinces as well as the United States,
have since been relocated to Narconon centres in the U.S.
As for
David Love, he remains drug-free since he left Narconon – but deeply
traumatized by what he saw and went through in Trois Rivières. [ cont. at montrealgazette.com ]
Canadian Health Board Slams Scientology Rehab
CBC Radio [Apr 18] - The Quebec Health Board "Slams" the Scientology Rehab,
Narconon, for exploiting desperate families by promising an 80% success
rate and placing patient's health in danger by forcing patients to
ingest toxic doses of vitamins in extreme, dangerous doses and not having
any qualified medical staff at Narconon Trois-Rivieres.
Upcoming Events: Canadian Investigators Probing Scientology
click for full size
[Apr 19] In an unofficial tip at WWP, David Love informs us that government investigators are acting on his complaint filed in February of 2011 with the Board of Human Rights Commission.
Even though NN TR [Narconon Trois Rivières] is now closed, Government investigators are now pushing forward in
an unexpected (by me), move. Incredible how these events are "mushrooming".~ David Love
Mentioned in the complaint, Exploitation of a Handicap is Narconon Trois Rivières, Church of Scientology - Montreal, Narconon Canada, Narconon International, ABLE Canada including directors and corporate entities, along with the current leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige. Will post updates as the events unfold.
Former Narconon Client/Employee David Love Slams Rehab Center
CBC [Apr 18] A former client and employee of Narconon in Trois-Rivières is
denouncing the rehab centre for its reportedly dangerous practices.
The Mauricie health agency shut down the Scientology-based centre on
Friday, saying it was preying on a vulnerable and desperate client base.
The agency says the centre performed dangerous, unscientific treatments with no proper medical supervision
Susan speaks with David Love, a former client and employee of Narconon.
We also hear a statement from Réjean Fleury, the executive director of Narconon in Trois-Rivières.
David Edgar Love interview on CBC Radio
[Apr 18] ~ Québec City. Health officials have ordered a private Scientology drug rehabilitation centre, Narconon Trois-Rivières to shut its doors. The Narconon Addiction Recovery Centre's methods are based on the theories of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The local health agency says some of the centre's practices posed a danger to health and safety.
Health Officials Say "Scientology Rehab" Preys On Vulnerable And Desperate
CBC [Apr 18] Quebec Health officials have ordered a private Scientology drug rehabilitation centre, Narconon Trois-Rivières to shut its doors. The Narconon Addiction Recovery Centre's methods are based on the theories of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The local health agency says some of the centre's practices posed a danger to health and safety. Health officials say Narconon preys on the vulnerable and desperate.
Narconon Trois-Rivières: Disturbing testimony of former employees
cyberpresse.ca (translated) [Apr 18] ~ (Trois-Rivières) Things weren't sailing very smoothly inside Narconon
during the past few months. This, at least, is what emerges from the
testimony of Narconon employees who, after their sudden dismissal, felt
the need to speak out in public about the situation to Le Nouvelliste.
(L to R) Émilie Marin, Sylvain Bérard, Julie Ann Pagé, Odette Poulin,
and Sylvie Houde former employees of Narconon Trois-Rivières.
First and foremost, the employees wished to defend the program offered by Narconon as an effective program that has time and again produced excellent results, but they said that the center's administration left much to be desired and sometimes even endangered the safety of certain residents and employees.
Sylvain Bérard, the Ethics Officer, said that Narconon had already been experiencing financial problems for some time, to such an extent that, in recent months, the organization had even been admitting clients with more serious problems of a psychiatric nature.
"Some of these cases weren't admissible to the program because it requires cutting off their medication. But the administration chose to keep them anyway. There were several instances of attempted suicide during the past few months. By law, immediate medical assistance should have been provided, but management decided to keep these persons without calling for an ambulance," says the former employee.
His colleague, Julie Ann Pagé remembers a female resident who, less than ten days earlier, made at least two suicide attempts in one day, but she was not referred to a hospital. Ms. Pagé says that incidents like this were blamed on the employees for supposedly "not delivering enough."
"We believe in what we are doing, and we do it for the sake of our residents, for the families, because we believe that everyone can be rehabilitated. But we were treated like assholes, as less than nothing," says Julie Ann Pagé, who was responsible for the withdrawal phase at Narconon.
All of the employees gathered around the table said they had received no pay for at least six weeks, and neither had they received the 4% of salary due to them at the termination of employment. Yesterday morning, they went to the labour standards commission office to inquire about their possible recourse.
"There were several times we didn't get paid on time. But they promised us all sorts of things. It was lie after lie. We weren't supposed to talk about it with each other, otherwise we risked getting fired," remembers Sylvie Houde.
Narconon's finances were so badly managed that Julie Ann Pagé and another co-worker were forced to get rid of the center's trash because Narconon couldn't afford to have its garbage bins emptied. Sylvain Bérard also recalls that, in 2009, clients were compelled to eat ground beef for a whole month, even though the clients could spend between $20,000 and $30,000 for their stay.
"We had no right to have a personal opinion. The only thing that mattered was their teaching of Scientology. Don't do to others what you wouldn't want them to do to you. This was one of their internal rules, but they themselves don't apply it. They have no respect for us or for the residents," says Sylvie Houde.
"We're playing with people's lives"
While the Narconon employees were at Le Nouvelliste, one of their cell phones rang. On the line was a woman from the Maritimes who was worried because she hadn't heard from her brother who was in therapy in Trois-Rivières. The man she was referring to had been relocated to the Narconon center in Calgary. His family members had not been notified and no one at Narconon Trois-Rivières was answering the phone to reassure them.
Trois-Rivieres spokesperson Andre Ahern
Discouragement was perceptible around the table. "There's no better example to show the kind of management that goes on there. Right now, they're taking away all of the center's records, confidential files they don't want anyone to see because of the crooked way they manage," says Odette Poulin.
Odette Poulin points out that every employee had to sign a contract with Narconon that prohibits them from speaking to the media. "We weren't supposed to reveal anything to the press. We're speaking today anyway for the sake of the parents and the students, but also for the employees. We were treated as less than nothing," says Julie Ann Pagé. "We didn't even get a thank you or a letter of reference," laments Odette Poulin.
Émilie Marin, who resigned from Narconon last March 30, emphasizes however that their criticism of the administration only concerns Narconon Trois-Rivières and does not necessarily apply to the other centers around the world.
Sylvain Girard, for his part, suspects that the Narconon Trois-Rivières administration is now turning to Toronto to open a new center. "I think this is the biggest danger, because they'll open somewhere else in Canada. The whole country needs to be aware of what's happening. As far as the program is concerned, I firmly believe in it. I believe that a person should not be cured of an addiction by taking other drugs. The Narconon program is a logical program. But it was time for the government to close down Narconon Trois-Rivières because psychiatric cases are out of line with our capabilities. The situation had become dangerous," said Mr. Bérard. "We're playing with people's lives," adds Julie Ann Pagé.
Le Nouvelliste tried again to contact the administration of Narconon Trois-Rivières by telephone and by email to offer an opportunity to respond, but without success.
Narconon practices risky, according to regional Health Agency
Marc Lacour
985fm.ca [Apr 17] (translated) ~ The Mauricie and Central-Quebec Health and Social Services Agency gave
details on Tuesday about the reasons that led it to deny certification
to the Narconon Trois-Rivières detoxification center.
The center was ordered to cease its activities and to relocate the
twenty-four residents who were there. Seventeen of them were transferred
to Narconon centers in the United States. The organization has ten days
to send its comments to the Agency, which will then issue a final
decision. The center will then have sixty days to contest the decision
before the Quebec administrative court.
Of the fifty-five criteria required for certification, the Quebec
Accreditation Council identified forty-six deficiencies, twenty-six of
them considered high-risk. One of the procedures that represents a
health risk is the sauna sweating sessions combined with massive doses
of vitamins.
Narconon's methods are based on the teachings of the Church of
Scientology, which, according to the Agency, perceives drug addiction as
moral depravity and associates it with dishonesty.
Marc Lacour also confirmed that the regional complaints commissioner has
received a certain number of complaints about Narconon. Clients who
wanted to end their stay prematurely complained that their identity
cards, passports, and money were taken and withheld to make departing
more complicated.
CBC TV -Radio Canada Newscast
In this April 17, 2012 report, Radio-Canada journalist Maude Montembeault summarizes a press conference held by the Mauricie Health and Social Services Agency about the reasons for which Narconon Trois-Rivières failed to obtain accreditation as a residential detoxification center.
Scientologist-run rehab center ordered closed in Quebec
cbc.ca [Apr 17] ~ The head of a regional health agency in Quebec said he had no choice
but to shut down a Scientology-based rehab centre in Trois-Rivières.
Narconon
Trois-Rivières
In recent months, he said at least four clients were taken to hospital because of methods used at the centre.
The Narconon Trois-Rivières is one of dozens of similar centres in
the U.S. and around the world where the detox treatment is inspired by
the teachings of Scientology.
Mauricie regional health agency director Marc Latour said Narconon
Trois-Rivières advertised an 80 per cent success rate and charged
$25,000 for its program. Latour said the centre was dangerous for patients and violated many of the criteria regulating Quebec's rehab centres. He said there was no medical supervision and no scientific basis to the treatment. [more a link]
Narconon centre in Trois Rivières ordered to relocate its residents
montrealgazette.com [Apr 17] ~ Health officials have ordered the Narconon rehabilitation centre for
drug addicts in Trois Rivières to evacuate and relocate its 32
residents, citing concerns over procedures that “may represent a risk to
health” and the lack of doctors on staff.
Following an
investigation into the centre’s activities by the Centre Québécois
d’agrément, an independent body mandated to monitor quality in health
care, the agency for health and social services for the Mauricie Region
said Tuesday it does not intend to certify Narconon.
The centre,
among the largest of 50 Narconon centres in 22 countries, bases its
treatment on the teachings of the Church of Scientology headquartered in
California, giving its “students” high doses of niacin and having them
sit in saunas for about five hours a day. The rest of the treatment
consists of “Training Routines” based on the teachings of L. Ron
Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, in which patients perform the same
tasks over and over.
Residents in Trois Rivières paid $25,000 to $30,000 for their treatment, which lasted on average three to five months.
Marc Lacour, the director of the Mauricie Health and Social Services Agency... [continued at link]
TVA: Narconon Trois-Rivières Employees Go Unpaid
In this (above) April 17, 2012 report, TVA journalist Ghislain Morissette
describes the plight of former Narconon Trois-Rivières employees who had
not been paid for weeks and who suddenly lost their jobs when Narconon
was forced to shut down because it failed to obtain accreditation as a
residential detoxification center.
NARCONON closure: Employees not paid
tvanouvelles.ca (translated) [Apr 17] ~
TROIS-RIVIÈRES | (QMI Agency) Former employees of the Narconon
Trois-Rivières center shut down by Quebec fear they will not be paid the
money owed them.
The Mauricie Health and Social Services Agency revoked the certification
of Narconon, a detoxification program with ties to the Church of
Scientology.
Narconon's employees are now saying they haven't received their salary
for many weeks and they fear they will never be compensated. "They
didn't say anything to us about our pay," said a woman who worked there.
"I think our money is lost. We ought to forget about it."
Another former employee denounced the fact that Narconon managers who
are members of the Church of Scientology advocate honesty but don't
practice what they preach.
"It's not the program that's the problem," said a former employee. "The
problem is management. The problem is that if I teach someone to be
honest, then I myself should be honest."
A controversial method
Spending seven to eight hours a day in a sauna for 21 days, shouting at
an ashtray, ingesting massive vitamin doses - this, among other things,
is the treatment that Narconon Trois-Rivières offers drug addicts.
This peculiar detoxification method is based on the writings of the founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard. A typical two-to-three-month stay at Narconon Trois-Rivières costs $23,000.
Thanks to Intelligence, mnql1 for the links and translations at wwp
Quebec should close the detoxification center linked to the controversial Church of Scientology
journaldemontreal.com ~ (translated) [Apr 17] The Agency for Health and Social Services Mauricie met yesterday the leaders of Narconon, a drug treatment center linked to the controversial Church of Scientology. According to our sources, Quebec should stop its activities.
Seven to eight hours of sauna per day for 21 days, yelled an ashtray, swallow massive doses of vitamin. That is, treatment that offers, among others, Narconon Trois-Rivieres to addicts. This unique method of detoxification is based on the writings of the founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard. A typical stay of two to three months at Narconon Trois-Rivieres costs a whopping $ 23,000 dollars. Many families of drug addicts do not hesitate to invest the money to allow their relatives to end their addiction.
I must say that Narconon Trois-Rivieres claims that his success rate is 80%. Which is well above average.
Activist: David Edgar Love
Multiple complaints
The center's clientele comes mainly from the United States and English Canada. This is the case of David Edgar Love arriving at Narconon Trois-Rivieres addicted to cocaine and drugs. It follows a year later weaned, but completely traumatized.
Since then, supported by the Anonymous group which campaigns worldwide against the activities of the Church of Scientology, Love has multiplied formal complaints to the College of Physicians, to the Commission on Human Rights and Revenue Agency Canada. The man has also organized various events to draw media attention to questionable methods of the center.
Certification
Along with this genuine mare media, the Agency for Health and Social Services Montérégie conducted an investigation and met with former disgruntled patients. This survey was part of the framework of a certification process of detoxification centers present in Quebec.
The initiative was also coming to Quebec in 2007. We had just learned that employees of Narconon courses offered in some schools in Quebec, teacher and youth with basic principles of Scientology. The agency convened the media this morning to take stock of the file,
but already the news of the closure reached David Love and he is very
happy. "I have a feeling of accomplishment," he said.
CBC Radio Montreal
[Apr 17] A health agency in Trois-Rivières will give details about its decision
to shut down a Scientology-based rehab centre in Trois-Rivières. CBC has
an exclusive interview with the family of a young man in rehab left
stranded by the closure. [listen to broadcast]
NarcononhasnoCertification
lhebdojournal.com ~ (translate) [Apr 17] The Agency for Health and Social Services of the Mauricie / Centre-du-Québec will not provide the certification required by the body Narconon Trois-Rivieres to continue operations.
Is that among the 55 criteria required to receive certification, Narconon would make 46 different kinds of patches, including 26 judged high risk factor.
These criteria concern including security, surveillance, insurance, building, fire safety, employee training, and ethical rules and administrative operation.
"The measures to be made also affect intervention programs. The main problem is the approach used by the center that is not scientifically recognized in Quebec. Movement may include withdrawal cold absorption of vitamins such as niacin and sauna use in the treatment, "says Marc Lacour, director of social services.
"These practices may pose a risk to health and safety of residents. That's why we issued a notice of relocation, "he adds.
Mr. Lacour said that when the directors were notified of the decision of the Agency, they have "reacted with surprise and astonishment. They were expected to pay for improvements, but not to refusal to certify. "
Risk of side effects
Among the reasons for the decision of the Health Agency, it is emphasized that withdrawal of the evaluation was not done with tools scientifically recognized, the fact that there was no systematic assessment of suicide risk , and the problems concerning drugs.
Narconon's Andre Ahern
Narconon advocates an approach called natural and therefore does not want residents to take medications.
"According to experts we consulted, the high intake of niacin can cause side effects, since the center administered nearly 50 times the recommended dose per day. It can cause a metabolic imbalance. In the past, there have been occasions when residents have to travel to the hospital. There are at least four cases and several complaints have been made at the location of the body, "says Lacour.
These complaints involved, among other things, administrative practices, complicating the premature exit of a resident (seizure of money, passport and identification).
Cesssation activities
Since last Friday, Narconon Trois-Rivieres can no longer operate. 34 The center's clients, mostly from U.S. and English Canada, have been relocated, or in another Narconon center in the United States or at home.
Narconon managers have ten working days, from April 13 to submit their comments on the Agency's decision. Afterwards, they will have 60 days to challenge the decision to the Administrative Tribunal of Québec.
The Health Agency is not yet known their intention to that effect.
"Right now, we expect their comments and then we'll see what their intentions are," Mr. Lacour.
Note that Narconon is still considered in the certification process. The chairman of the board of the center, Andre Ahern, would have meant to the Health Agency that he did not intend to change the treatment program.
Thanks to Anonymous, mnql1 and peterstorm for the links/translations [wwp]
TVA television network reports Narconon Trois-Rivières failed to obtain goverment accreditation as a residential detoxification center.
[Apr 16 TVA] [translated] A rehabilitation center, Narconon Trois-Rivières, in Three Rivers Quebec CA will cease to operate after the Ministry of Health of Quebec refused to renew its accreditation.
That is, according to the ministry, Narconon does not comply with methods recognized by the Government in the matter. Narconon does not follow up with a doctor and does not offer methadone to its residents.
The detoxification center intends to challenge the Ministry of Health, but can not continue its activities until a decision is rendered.
CBC News Montreal Radio
Apr 16 The Narconon Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre in Trois-Rivières is shut down for 'dangerous' practices. [listen to the report]
CBC Montreal Radio Report April 16th 2012: The Narconon Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre in Trois-Rivières is shut down for 'dangerous' practices.
Transcript:
Quebec's Health Department has shut down a drug rehab center in Trois-Rivières that is linked to Scientology.
The local health agency called the Narconon program "dangerous for the health of its patients." CBC reporter Catou MacKinnon is looking into this story and joins us now. Catou.
Catou MacKinnon: Lauren, I'm looking at a two-page document sent by the local regional health agency about a week ago. And it follows a visit of Narconon in early February. And the report, or, I guess, this two-page letter is actually quite scathing in its critique of what was going on there. It says the center did not evaluate patients when they first came in, to see the severity of their addictions, that it uses something called "biophysical detox" that is not based on science, that they do follow the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard, who is the founder of Scientology, and that people who work there were not trained properly. There was no evaluation of suicide risks.
And so I've learned since then ... I talked to an uncle of a patient who was there. We are granting him anonymity to protect the identity of the young man who was there. He was in his early twenties. He was one of about twenty-four patients.
Now they found out on Friday that the center was being shut down. They were not told why, and they were even told not to contact their family or the person, their sponsor, who had paid the $25,000 it takes to get into this detox center. So that particular young man has been taken out. His family - they're not Scientologists, but they do believe in this program to get somebody off drugs - so they've actually sent him to another Narconon center in Michigan. But apparently, there are still seven patients left there. We don't know what's going to happen to them. I have been unable to reach Narconon or the director of their legal affairs.
And the Health Ministry is holding a press conference tomorrow, so we'll find out more then.
Radio Report: http://live.cbc.ca/Event/CBC_Montreal/27962744
Fate Radio "The Sacred Divison" David Love Interview
May 15, 2011 ~ David Love interviewed about Scientology and Narconon on Fate Radio program "The Sacred Divison", Hosts: James Long and Bobby Zoeller
[wireservice.ca] Scientology is on the attack again
to "Dead Agent" those who speak out against this convicted criminal
organization. In a desperate move this week, Narconon Trois-Rivieres
Director of Legal Affairs, Andre Ahern, launched a malicious attack on
two Narconon victims in Quebec, Canada. Numerous press releases
were posted on the internet in a feeble attempt to discredit those
interviewed on CBC TV National News April 2, 2012.
Dead Agent means to spread malicious lies and rumors about
Scientology critics or organization, in an attempt to so thoroughly
discredit them that everyone concerned will be disgusted with them, and
not listen to the information they have to give about the cult.
Government investigators and lawyers were contacted early this
morning to halt attacks by Andre Ahern et al, by way of Court Retraining
Order.
[wire service.ca] Following a CBC TV National News broadcast April 12, 2012, [see video] Scientology
Rehab, Narconon Trois-Rivieres spokesperson, Andre Ahern, publishes
confidential patient information, including PDF file and video. Ahern,
who admitted on CBC TV News, that indeed he is a Scientologist and that
Narconon Trois-Rivieres does use the teachings of Scientology to treat
patients, has launched a character assassination against David Edgar
Love and Anonymous, calling them a criminal network. Clearly, the CBC TV
news broadcast has driven cult members to desperate measures - -
breaking the confidential trust of patient files.
CBC: Mom Slams Canadian Scientology Rehab: Narconon Trois-Rivieres
Radio Interview: Who Is David Love & What is Narconon?
Hawk Radio 1520AM Tampa FL.
Tom Smith hosts 'The Edge'. Guest: David Love on Scientology's Narconon in Canada.
