Pubdate: Sun, 04 Dec 2005
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Ajay Bhardwaj
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

PRISONERS' ADVOCATE SLAMS TORY PLAN

Harper Wants 'Serious' Sentences For Traffickers

The federal Tories plan to get tough on crime by imposing mandatory 
minimum jail time.

But the head of a prisoners' advocacy group says the plan will only 
put more people behind bars and won't address the problems of drug use.

Stephen Harper's Conservatives are calling for mandatory minimum 
sentences of two years for offenders involved with trafficking, 
importing, exporting or producing drugs like heroin, cocaine, crystal 
meth and more than three kilograms of marijuana or hashish.

"Criminals who are growing marijuana in grow ops, manufacturing 
crystal meth in drug labs or selling crack cocaine in our streets 
have to know that if they are caught, they will not get a slap on the 
wrist," Harper said in a media release. "They will go to jail and 
serve serious time."

Edmonton-Strathcona Conservative candidate Rahim Jaffer said the 
proposed changes will deter drug trafficking.

"I think it would have a real deterring effect," said Jaffer, adding 
the justice system doesn't come down hard enough on repeat offenders.

"This will send a message to people trafficking drugs that they'll be 
stuck in jail and that the government is going to lock them away."

Brad Odsen, executive director of the John Howard Society of Alberta, 
called Harper's plan ill conceived.

He said a similar strategy in the war on drugs in the U.S. has done 
little to stop the flow of drugs into communities.

"It has not had any impact on the use of drugs but it has 
criminalized a section of the population and filled up jails," he said.

"What happens to those people when they get out of jail? And they 
will get out of jail."

Keith Brownsey, who teaches political science at Calgary's Mount 
Royal College, says he's not sure Harper's plan will be a big hit 
with all Canadians.

"There is a large segment of the population who would like to see the 
decriminalization of marijuana," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman