Pubdate: Fri, 11 Mar 2005
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Bryan Skinner

THIS WAS NOT A GROW-OP STORY

I wish to express two feelings around the Alberta tragedy. One, my
grief for the loss for the families of the four RCMP officers killed,
and also my disdain for the attempted political use of this tragedy by
those who are opposed to any liberalization of our marijuana laws.

It was not a raid on a grow-op which began this sad incident, but a
truck reposession from a known dangerous criminal and pedophile that
led to the discovery of 20 pot plants. This story should spark changes
to our attitudes, most appropriately toward gun registration and
control, but to make this a "grow-op" story is disingenuous, and
minimizes our ability to analyse and learn from this tragedy.

Bryan Skinner,

Victoria.