Pubdate: Fri, 05 Oct 2007 Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Copyright: 2007 Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.edmontonsun.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135 Author: Paul Turenne, Sun Media Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Stephen+Harper HARPER THROWS $63.8M AT WAR ON DRUGS Two-Year Plan Calls for Better Treatment WINNIPEG -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a new federal anti-drug strategy in Winnipeg yesterday that was applauded by police and addictions groups alike, but not by opposition parties. The two-year, $63.8-million plan will provide roughly $43 million for modernization of addiction treatment services, community anti-drug programming and a public awareness campaign aimed at discouraging youth from using drugs. A further $21 million will go towards the enforcement end of the war on drugs, with more money for police, Crown prosecutors, border guards, correctional services and even intelligence agents in New York and Seattle. The government also promised to table legislation this fall that would require mandatory minimum prison sentences for those convicted of "serious" drug crimes. Harper did not say what crimes would be considered serious or how long the prison terms might be. "If you fall into drugs you can get help to get out, but if you sell or produce drugs you'll pay with prison time," Harper said of the strategy. "We can't get clean overnight, but we'll put our country on the road to recovery." Tony Cannavino, president of the Canadian Police Association, said he likes the tough stance on drug dealing. "It's encouraging to have legislators who are on the same page as we've been for years," he said. "We don't want these dealers poisoning our neighbourhoods, our schools, our brothers and sisters." Two NDP MPs at yesterday's announcement panned the strategy. Winnipeg MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis called the strategy a "George Bush-style war on drugs" and said it needed "more treatment, more harm reduction and more enforcement." Winnipeg Centre MP Pat Martin said the federal NDP would likely oppose the proposed legislation as the party has a history of being opposed to mandatory minimum sentences, which he says take sentencing power out of the hands of judges . The federal Liberals issued a media release slamming the strategy because it doesn't commit to harm reduction initiatives like safe-injection sites. The new money adds to anti-drug programming already in place, which now totals $417 million after yesterday's announcement. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake