A former member of Canada's elite counter-terrorism unit has emerged from the shadows to promote medical marijuana for ailing veterans. Kevin Whitenect hopes that his message promoting medical cannabis will bring hope to those former soldiers dealing with emotional or physical pain as well as reduce the stigma surrounding its use. "I saw a value for veterans," said Whitenect, who spent most of his 17 years in the Canadian Forces with the Ottawa-based Joint Task Force 2 counter-terrorism unit. "I started speaking with veterans who were using (medical cannabis) and started hearing the great stories about how it is getting them off the mind-numbing narcotics they are being issued." [continues 541 words]
WITH the Stereosonic music festival coming to Adelaide tomorrow, parents will be asking, "What do we need to do to keep our children safe?" This follows the tragically predictable death at the Sydney event last weekend of a yet another young Australian. It's as if we are faced with some sort of horrendous "toxicological terrorism" - we don't know where the next death will be, just that inevitably, there will be another. Having become a parent myself in the decade since I last wrote about drugs in The Advertiser, it's a question that has become a very personal one for me. [continues 727 words]
I can anecdotally state that nearly every person in prison is there as the result of drugs: using, dealing or an act of madness fuelled by "something" ("War on drugs hurts those at risk: experts", November 26). Nearly everyone does "something". Beer o'clock, drinkies, shots after work, wine while making dinner, cones behind the shed, lines in the office, party pills before the parade - and then there is ice. Organised crime steps in to make a market in anything declared illegal. The last thing major players in the drug game want is for any relaxation of laws. The consequence is globally savaging and individually ruinous. [continues 105 words]
Critics of Practice Blame Ailing Economy, Profit Motive Recent years have brought public scrutiny on a controversial law enforcement practice known as civil asset forfeiture, which lets police seize and keep cash and property from people who are never convicted of- and in many cases never charged with - wrongdoing. A new report Tuesday from the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit civil liberties law firm, found that there has been a "meteoric, exponential increase" in the use of the practice in the past decade. [continues 677 words]
At sea, what does it mean for a ship to 'fly a flag?' That was a key, and somewhat improbable, question in a federal drug smuggling case in Manhattan federal court. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan typically write legal briefs that cite the lofty decisions of the United States Supreme Court, congressional statutes or articles in law reviews. But in a recent case, the government pointed to a more lyrical precedent. "You're a grand old flag, you're a high-flying flag. And forever in peace may you wave," the brief practically sang in a footnote. [continues 1060 words]
After his landslide victory in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell last week, Francis Drouin is the freshest face on the local political scene. Though he's somewhat new to his constituents in Glengarry, he is hardly a stranger to political life. His father and grandfather were both longtime players in Hawkesbury's political scene and now, at the age of 32, Mr. Drouin is ready to jump into a full-time political career. Mr. Drouin visited The Glengarry News for an interview with managing editor, Steven Warburton. [continues 2376 words]
Province will work with federal Liberals 'in whatever moves they make': Clark OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau made a triumphant return to the nation's capital Tuesday and began setting a new tone for the Canadian government. "Many of you have worried that Canada has lost its compassionate and constructive voice in the world over the past 10 years," Trudeau told a boisterous rally in Ottawa. "Well, I have a simple message for you. On behalf of 35 million Canadians, we're back." [continues 1755 words]
Conservatives warn a Liberal victory would lead to brothels and easy-access drugs, as Trudeau claims Harper will revoke citizenship Stephen Harper is making no apologies for attack ads and flyers being distributed in Punjabi and Cantonese that warn a Trudeau government would lead to "illegal drug injection sites in our neighbourhoods" and "brothels in our communities." The battle for votes from new Canadians is intensifying in the final leg of the 2015 federal election campaign and the Liberals and Conservatives have been trying to sow fear about each other before election day on Oct. 19. [continues 697 words]
We have learned Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is in favour of loosening rules on marijuana and approves of safe heroin injection sites, as well. He's also for wearing the niqab at citizenship ceremonies and for convicted terrorists keeping their Canadian citizenship. Justin supports withdrawing from NATO responsibilities with allies including sending over sleeping bags instead of fighter jets. He is also opposed to the plan to purchase F-35 fighters from the United States. He'll run up multibillion-dollar deficits to fund infrastructure projects, insisting the expenditure will stimulate the economy and job growth. He's in favour of Premier Kathleen Wynne's Ontario pension plan, higher EI premiums and carbon taxes. [continues 517 words]
I appreciate Sal Rodriguez's column on drugs, "To control drugs, accept current failure" [Opinion, Oct. 1]. I have held his position for a couple of decades now. The war on drugs doesn't make sense. It isn't working. By legalizing currently illegal drugs, the price will drop and drug lords and gangs will have nothing to sell. This could also help in the war on terrorism. The terrorists obviously get much of their funding from drug sales. I would prefer to see the money currently being spent on the war on drugs spent on drug education and rehabilitation. This also could release a huge percentage of prisoners, especially casual users who cause no other problem than getting high. Bill Souder Beaumont [end]
Just read about NASA learning of running water on Mars. After reading the two letters (Mailbag, Sept. 29) by Keta Tom and John Collet about how good pot is for you, I realize who told them. Just one more name of an illegal alien and Trump's outer space wall will be a fact. Just think, smoke pot and no more domestic violence. Get our judges to believe that and Linn County could shut down jail beds. Just sentence violators to smoke three dubies a day and no more problems. Murderers, five dubies a day and we are all safe. And then we also learned that soft drinks, alcohol, cigarettes and legal drugs kill more people than pot ever will. We spend billions of dollars to get rid of cigarette smoking and we have people who know nothing about the dangers of marijuana. [continues 147 words]
The first question at last week's Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston candidates debate in Sydenham, asked by host/moderator Jeff Green, was "name one issue where you differ from your party platform." Strangely enough, for three of the four candidates, it was on marijuana reform. Two of them wanted to see their party go further towards complete legalization while one wasn't so sure legalization was the best option, despite her party's stated intention. "I'm truly comfortable with the NDP platform," said candidate John Fenik. "But one thing I would speak up on in caucus is the legalization of marijuana (the NDP's policy is decriminalization, study and go from there). [continues 390 words]
Legal pot was supposed to bring Oregon some joy. October 1 was supposed to be a day of historic joy in Oregon, as legal sales of marijuana were finally allowed, ending decades of Prohibition in one of the states leading the charge on the issue. Instead, the celebration was interrupted by a shooting at Umpqua Community College, where (yet another) mentally disturbed young man went on a mass killing spree with a semi-automatic weapon. Hard to stand in line for an ounce of primo weed, high-fiving budtenders, and fellow stoners at a recreational store when friends and neighbors next door are unsure if their own children are among the dead. [continues 602 words]
Crime and security issues are proving to be some of the most divisive in this election. Should police be granted expanded powers to stop terrorists, or should privacy be paramount? Should we legalize pot? What about Canada's record on missing and murdered aboriginal women? Here are four things you should know about crime and security to help you decide how to cast your ballot. Bill C-51 The Conservatives' controversial bill has become a lightning rod, dividing the Canadian public. It proposes to expand police and spy powers in an effort to protect Canada from potential terrorist threats. Critics like Tom Mulcair's NDP say the bill tramples on Charter protections, gives spies and police too much power, and constitutes an invasion of privacy. [continues 427 words]
Pakistani Offensive Against Taliban Pushes Tribesmen Off the Land and Threatens Their Hash-Based Livelihood PESHAWAR , PAKISTAN - For decades, Taj Muhammad Afridi had been making stoners mellow around the world. By now, at his family homestead in the Tirah Valley in Pakistan's tribal belt, hundreds of marijuana plants should be full-grown, some as tall as a one-story house. The traditional harvest would be in October, and that's when Afridi would start making some of the world's most sought-after hashish. [continues 1220 words]
A wide-ranging series of questions and answers at Monday's Penticton Herald election forum provided a broad if not deep overview of the positions of the candidates in South Okanagan West Kootenay and their parties. For two hours, New Democrat Richard Cannings, Liberal Connie Denesiuk, Conservative Marshall Neufeld and the Green party's Samantha Troy took questions from a panel of six area journalists. The subjects ranged from economic policy to the environment, international relations, seniors housing, the legalization of marijuana and beyond. [continues 2155 words]
Agents to Seek Warrants Before Using Secretive Equipment WASHINGTON - The Justice Department will regularly require federal agents to seek warrants before using secretive equipment that can locate and track cellphones, the agency announced Thursday, the first regulations on an increasingly controversial technology. The new policy, which also limits what information may be collected and how long it can be stored, puts a measure of judicial oversight on a technology that was designed to hunt terrorists overseas but has become a popular tool among federal agents and local police officers for fighting crime. [continues 410 words]
U.S. Combat Vehicles Used in Pot Busts If you're going to wage war on drugs, you need to be outfitted like a warrior. That seems to be the rationale behind hundreds of police department requests for armored trucks submitted to the Pentagon between 2012 and 2014. The requests, unearthed in a FOIA request by Mother Jones magazine, shed light on how the war on drugs has directly contributed to the militarization of local police forces in recent years. Police departments can request surplus military gear from the Pentagon through the Department of Defense's 1033 program, which doles out hundreds of millions of dollars in military goods to cops each year. The equipment includes everything from underwear to office equipment to armored combat vehicles. After Ferguson, Missouri, when images of local cops training assault rifles on peaceful protesters from atop armored trucks flooded the airwaves, the program has come under increasing scrutiny. [continues 249 words]
The sixth annual PEACE EAST festival wants to clear the air on medical marijuana. Six years in, PEACE EAST keeps growing. The three-day outdoor festival in Middle Musquodoboit is Atlantic Canada's annual epicenter for cannabis consumers, advocates and caregivers to celebrate the tireless fight against the war on drugs. There's music, lectures, workshops and plenty of chances to get inspired. And, no, it's not just some hippie fest in the woods. "Well, you know what, it's a little bit of a hippie fest," counters Sherri Reeve-Enns. "There are hippies. I mean, they kind of popularized weed. You can't really avoid that." [continues 1663 words]
With Canada's economy mired in recession, with too many Canadians without a job and struggling to make ends meet, with the country's sick and elderly being forced to wait too long to receive adequate medical coverage, many Canadians are looking to Ottawa in hopes that their concerns are being heard. Unfortunately, with an Oct. 19 federal election looming on the horizon, the federal government has no time to focus on the problems facing Canadians. Instead, the Harper Conservatives would much rather roll out solutions to problems that don't exist. [continues 242 words]
