Pubdate: Wed, 09 Mar 2005
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 The Edmonton Journal
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: CanWest News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

MCLELLAN UNDER FIRE FOR GROW-OP COMMENTS

OTTAWA - Opposition critics are calling on Public Safety Minister Anne 
McLellan to retract comments linking the shooting deaths of four police 
officers to marijuana grow operations and suggesting a government review of 
police procedure should be called.

Conservative MP Peter MacKay spoke Tuesday after RCMP Commissioner Giuliano 
Zaccardelli told CanWest News Service he was too quick to suggest the four 
Mounties in Mayerthorpe last Thursday were killed by a man defending his 
grow-op.

"I think it would be appropriate (that) the minister retract or at least 
acknowledge that she was quick off the mark ... when she made this link to 
grow-ops," said MacKay, the Tory critic for public safety and emergency 
preparedness.

"Saying it was the root cause and suggesting somehow that grow-ops were to 
blame for these deaths is overstating it and it was said pre-emptively. It 
was said before all the facts were gathered."
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MAP posted-by: Beth