Pubdate: Thu, 04 May 2006
Source: Ottawa X Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 Ottawa X Press
Contact:  http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/330
Author: Charlie McKenzie

NARCS CONVERGE ON MONTREAL

High Noon In Montreal

A Tale Of Two Solitudes

On May 8, 2006, undercover narcs and their handlers from around the 
globe will meet behind closed doors at Montreal's Hilton Bonaventure 
to share intelligence and devise "drug war" strategies. According to 
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which is footing the bill, 
the conference will be conducted in English, Spanish and Russian - 
French is conspicuously absent. The RCMP, pseudo co-sponsors, suggest 
visiting the DEA's website, www.dea.gov/programs/idec.htm, for 
additional rhetoric and negligible information.

The same day and down the street, with open arms, open doors and 
simultaneous French/English translation, a counter-symposium called 
"Can We Talk?" gets underway at the Marriott hotel. Sponsored by a 
coalition of anti-prohibitionists, including Students for a Sensible 
Drug Policy and the University of Ottawa's criminology department, 
the symposium offers a who's who of drug scholars, activists and 
former cops, all on a quixotic quest to "open a dialogue with the 
DEA" and offer alternatives to prohibition. The general public is 
cordially invited, but DEA delegates are especially welcome on the 
off chance they might learn something.

"Current drug policies diminish everyone," says retired B.C. 
Provincial Court judge and symposium speaker Jerry Paradis, a member 
of LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition). The 1,000-plus drug 
cases that he heard in his 28 years on the bench back him up.

"It diminishes judges Free Will Astrology by requiring them to shut 
their minds off from the irrationality of what they are required to 
do," he adds. "It diminishes lawyers on both sides - the prosecutors, 
by forcing them to pursue people and issues that they know full well 
belong in the field of health care, and defence counsel, by forcing 
them to play silly Charter of Rights games instead of dealing with 
real issues. And it diminishes the police by forcing them to see drug 
users as prey, not worthy of serious second thought."

Lionel Prevost's opposition to the current drug laws stems from his 
25 years with the Surete du Quebec. Today, he teaches criminology at 
the Universite de Montreal and is an ardent - and eloquent - 
anti-prohibitionist.

"Current laws do not fulfill their dissuasive function," he said. 
"Prohibition prevents the state from exerting its responsibilities, 
particularly with regard to the quality of drugs being sold on the 
street. Moreover, [prohibition] has created a climate of violence and 
criminality without precedent."

The DEA conference - "IDEC XXIV" in narc-speak - is an annual event. 
Cities that have hosted previous IDECs include: Panama City during 
Manuel Noriega's heyday; Cartagena, Colombia, when the Medellin 
cartel was going full-bore; and the world crime capital of Washington, D.C.

"This is the first time the DEA's drug enforcement conference comes 
to Montreal," said symposium co-ordinator Marc-Boris St-Maurice of 
NORML Canada.

"It's also the first time retired judges and police officers have 
followed them to speak out against the insane drug wars," he adds 
with an illegal smile.

Several symposium speakers will take their anti-prohibition message 
to the faculty and students of the University of Ottawa the following 
day, Tuesday May 9, while for DEA delegates it will be back to 
business as usual.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman