Pubdate: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 Source: Red River Valley Echo, The (CN MB) Copyright: 2010 Altona Red River Valley Echo Contact: http://www.altonaecho.com/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx Website: http://www.altonaecho.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4006 Author: Greg Vandermeulen Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/NDP NDP STILL WEAK ON DRUG TRAFFICKERS If you are the first person to do something, whatever it is, there's one of two reasons for that. Either you are a visionary, or the thing you are doing is so stupid nobody else would even consider it. The NDP's latest strategy to fight drug trafficking falls into the latter category. Attorney General Andrew Swan announced legislation allowing the province to suspend the drivers license of those who drove a vehicle as part of a drug trafficking offence. At best this is a smoke screen to cover up the lack of appropriate response from the province, and at worst the new policy could be hindrance to any chance of these repeat offenders going straight, forcing them to remain in a life of crime. The new provision will suspend the drivers licence for one year on first conviction, five years for a second conviction, 10 years for a third conviction and for life on a fourth conviction. The convictions don't have to be specifically for drug trafficking. Any offences such as impaired driving or driving while disqualified will count in determining repeat offenders. Swan was right about something. It makes for a great announcement. After all, to oppose this policy sounds like you are in favour of drug traffickers. Of course, that's absolutely untrue. In fact the reason this type of policy is even necessary, is proof that our current laws don't punish drug dealers enough. If the drug dealers were in jail where they belonged, why would we need to suspend their drivers' licenses? Dealers are the dregs of society, people that don't mind ruining others lives in order to make a buck, or support their own habit. While their is obviously a significant difference between a dealer of marijuana, or a meth supplier. The former is at worst contributing to making people dull, uninteresting, and downright stupid. A meth dealer is on the same level of someone who attempts murder and should be punished accordingly. Prison and parole conditions should be used to punish and control these people, but pulling a drivers license should not be one of them. Sure you may be preventing them from "legally" driving drugs to a location, but you are also preventing them from going to the grocery store for their families, or getting jobs that could put them back on the right path. A lack of a drivers licence is a minor inconvenience in a life of crime, but a major stumbling block to getting out of that life. The new legislation is effective at one thing. It gives the illusion that the NDP are tough on crime, and that they are actually doing something about it. It also ensures that your friendly neighbourhood drug dealer will always be there, because what else is he going to do? - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake