February 14, 2023, marked Portage’s 50th anniversary—50 years of helping people overcome dependencies. “At the end of the 1960s, Canada was in a state of effervescence,” says President Peter Howlett. “Between a wave of protests against the Church, the questioning of the education system and a certain generational fracture, this period also saw a significant amount of illicit drugs used in North America. The use of cannabis, LSD, heroin and amphetamines, already prevalent among war veterans, was being driven by the hippie movement and the “flower power” era. The growing number of young drug addicts, especially in Montréal, alarmed enough citizens that they got together and took action to find a solution.” Given the context, Howlett’s mother, Alphonsine Paré-Howlett, already well known in the Montréal community for her innovative work in education and social services, joined forces with Dorothy Reitman, a member of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada. Their aim was to engage key members of Montréal’s French and English communities to support the creation of an addiction treatment program. “In the fall of 1969, amid discussions for the organization of addiction treatment, my mother 82 JUNE 2023 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA
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