But Majority Want to Know Cost: Poll A majority of Canadians support the Conservatives' costly prison expansion plan but think the government should be compelled to provide the estimated price tag for its entire law-and-order agenda, according to the results of a new poll. Fifty-seven per cent of those surveyed said the prison expansion program, estimated to cost at least $2 billion, is a worthwhile initiative, while 43 per cent said it is unaffordable. Those results will take some wind out of the sails of the opposition parties who argue that Canadians don't want bigger jails and the government is wasting money at a time when the country has a massive deficit. [continues 362 words]
Liberals Won't Support It The Conservative government's controversial bill that would impose mandatory jail time for offenders caught growing a handful of marijuana plants appears headed to the trash can. The Liberals announced Wednesday they will not support Bill S-10, which has already been passed by the Senate. "I'm very disappointed that they have had this complete flip-flop," Justice Minister Rob Nicholson told Postmedia News. The Liberals, who supported previous versions of the bill, now say it would excessively punish some people for minor offences and would cost too much to implement because it will jam prisons that are already filled to the brink. The Conservatives have said they will spend $2 billion over the next five years to expand prisons. [continues 509 words]
Liberals Won't Support Law for Jail Time OTTAWA -- The Conservative government's controversial bill that would impose mandatory jail time for offenders caught growing a handful of marijuana plants appears headed to the trash can. The Liberals announced Wednesday they will not support Bill S-10, which has already been passed by the Senate. "I'm very disappointed that they have had this complete flip-flop," Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said. The Liberals, who supported previous versions of the bill, now say it would excessively punish some people for minor offences and would cost too much to implement because it will jam prisons that are already filled to the brink. The Conservatives have said they will spend $2 billion over the next five years to expand prisons. [continues 314 words]
The Conservative government's controversial bill that would impose mandatory jail time for offenders caught growing a handful of marijuana plants appears headed to the trash can. The Liberals announced Wednesday they will not support Bill S-10, which has already been passed by the Senate. "I'm very disappointed that they have had this complete flip-flop," Justice Minister Rob Nicholson told Postmedia News. The Liberals, who supported previous versions of the bill, now say it would excessively punish some people for minor offences and would cost too much to implement because it will jam prisons that are already filled to the brink. The Conservatives have said they will spend $2 billion over the next five years to expand prisons. [continues 214 words]
The launch of an anti-drug campaign by the federal government took a decidedly partisan turn Wednesday when Conservative MP Shelly Glover suggested Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff finds it acceptable for youth to smoke marijuana. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and Glover were announcing a new television and social media advertising campaign aimed at teenagers and Glover took the opportunity to make a jab at Ignatieff. "It's very disturbing as a parent, and as a police officer for almost 19 years, to hear the opposition, in fact the Liberal leader, say to our children that it is OK to take marijuana in small doses," the Manitoba MP said during her prepared remarks. She repeated her comment in French. [continues 111 words]
Security asks him to butt out and leave A medical marijuana user lit up a joint in the House of Commons Monday to draw attention to what he calls unfair rules set by Health Canada. Abbotsford's Samuel Mellace is a licensed pot user under the federal government's medical marijuana program. He started smoking a joint Monday afternoon while in the public gallery of the House of Commons as the daily question period came to an end. Mellace took a few drags on the joint before a security guard asked him to put it out and leave the gallery, which he did without incident. [continues 330 words]
A medical marijuana user lit up a joint in the House of Commons Monday to draw attention to what he calls unfair rules set by Health Canada. Abbotsford's Samuel Mellace is a licensed pot user under the federal government's medical marijuana program. He started smoking a joint Monday afternoon while in the public gallery of the House of Commons as the daily question period came to an end. Mellace took a few drags on the joint before a security guard asked him to put it out and leave the gallery, which he did without incident. [continues 357 words]
Scientific Evidence Cited Increased enforcement unlikely to reduce violence or drug use, B.C. research finds OTTAWA - The Conservative government's efforts to crack down on drug crimes may do more harm than good, a recent report suggests. The study released yesterday from the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS concludes that stepping up the enforcement of drug laws is unlikely to reduce gang violence tied to drugs or stop the circulation of drugs in communities. On the contrary, the report notes that gun violence and murders are likely a consequence of drug prohibition - and laws aimed at breaking up drug gangs could unintentionally increase violence. [continues 293 words]
Tory Proposal The federal government introduced legislation yesterday that would abolish accelerated parole, which allows financial scam artists and other non-violent offenders to obtain release on day parole after serving one-sixth of their sentences. The bill, first promised last week, is the latest Conservative government measure to tackle the hot-button issue of white-collar crime. Early release from prison is a "privilege," not a right, Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan told a news conference. "Canadians are surprised to learn that unless the National Parole Board has reasonable grounds to believe these offenders will commit a violent offence--not another offence, but a violent offence, once released-- they must automatically release those prisoners into the community," said Mr. Van Loan. [continues 189 words]
Canadians who have permission from the federal government to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes are now facing impending restrictions about where they can light up. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said Wednesday in the House of Commons that the government is concerned about the issue of smoking medical marijuana in public. "That's why I have instructed my officials to examine this issue and develop options," said the health minister. The federal government has been under pressure to clarify the rules around medical marijuana use in public. [continues 560 words]
Rules Uncertain OTTAWA (CNS) - Canadians who have permission from the federal government to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes are facing impending restrictions about where they can light up. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said yesterday that the government is concerned about the issue of smoking medical marijuana in public. "That's why I have instructed my officials to examine this issue and develop options," she said in the House of Commons. The federal government has been under pressure to clarify the rules around medical marijuana use in public. One recent request for clarification came from a bar owner in Burlington, Ont., who faced allegations of discrimination when he asked a medical marijuana user not to smoke outside his business. [continues 379 words]
There are approximately 900 organized crime groups currently operating in Canada, and British Columbia's Lower Mainland, southern Ontario and the greater Montreal area are the major hubs where they are doing business, according to an annual report from the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada. The 2008 report, released at a Montreal news conference yesterday by RCMP Commissioner William Elliott and other CISC members, provides an overview of organized crime in Canada and highlights global trends. The CISC is made up of police agencies at the federal, provincial and municipal levels and various other law enforcement and intelligence agencies. [continues 326 words]
Mayor says city, VIHA should discuss strategy on drug-injection exemption Meagan Fitzpatrick, Canwest News Service With a file by Carolyn Heiman of the Times Colonist Federal Health Minister Tony Clement said yesterday Ottawa will appeal this week's B.C. Supreme Court decision that ruled in favour of Vancouver's controversial supervised injection site. Appearing before the House of Commons health committee, Clement said evidence in support of Insite isn't strong enough, and that supervised injection sites prolong addiction and divert dollars away from treatment programs. [continues 363 words]
Insite Can Remain Open Indefinitely After Court Rules That Law Violates Charter Federal Health Minister Tony Clement made it clear Wednesday he is unhappy with the decision by a B.C. Supreme Court judge on Vancouver's supervised drug injection site. Clement said his government disagrees with the ruling by Justice Ian Pitfield that Canada's trafficking and possession laws violate the Charter rights of drug addicts to get help at Insite for what is a medical condition. Pitfield declared that Insite can remain open indefinitely and that current drug laws are unconstitutional with respect to Insite. He gave the federal government a year to rewrite its narcotics laws to allow for the kind of drug use and handling that takes place there. [continues 367 words]
'Supervised Injection Is Not Medicine,' Health Minister Says OTTAWA - Federal Health Minister Tony Clement said yesterday Ottawa will appeal the B. C. Supreme Court decision earlier this week that ruled in favour of Vancouver's controversial supervised injection site. Appearing before the House of Commons health committee, Mr. Clement said scientific evidence in support of Insite is not strong enough and that supervised injection sites prolong addiction and divert dollars away from treatment programs. "For these reasons, fellow committee members, I can inform you today that I will be asking my colleague, Rob Nicholson, the Minister of Justice, to appeal Judge Pitfield's decision at the earliest possible opportunity," Mr. Clement said. [continues 544 words]
Vancouver Addicts; Insite's Operating Permit Expires on June 30 OTTAWA - Supporters of Vancouver's supervised drug injection site were in Ottawa yesterday asking Stephen Harper to put politics aside and keep Insite open. The facility is legally allowed to operate because the federal government granted it an exemption from narcotics laws. That exemption is due to expire on June 30, and the government has not indicated whether the facility will be allowed to continue operating. "At this juncture, we believe [Mr.] Harper has a clear decision to make -- is he going to go the route of ideology or is he going to go the route of good, solid, scientifically supported public health policy?" said Liz Evans, who runs Insite in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health. "We believe that is his decision that he has to make today, to take it out of the realm of politics and put it in the realm of public health, which is firmly where it belongs." [continues 370 words]
June 30 Deadline Looms; Health Department Says It Has Made No Decision Yet VANCOUVER - Supporters of Vancouver's supervised drug injection site were in Ottawa on Tuesday, "begging" Prime Minister Stephen Harper to put politics aside and keep Insite open. The facility is legally allowed to operate because the federal government granted it an exemption from narcotics laws. It expires June 30 and the government has not indicated whether the facility will be allowed to continue operating. "At this juncture, we believe Harper has a clear decision to make: Is he going to go the route of ideology or is he going to go the route of good, solid, scientifically supported public health policy?" said Liz Evans, who runs Insite in partnership with the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. [continues 340 words]
Supporters of Facility Urge Harper to Resist Pressure From UN Agency That Criticized Canada for the Project Supporters of Vancouver's supervised drug injection site were in Ottawa yesterday, "begging" Prime Minister Stephen Harper to put politics aside and keep Insite open. The facility is legally allowed to operate because the federal government granted it an exemption from narcotics laws. That exemption is to expire on June 30 and the government has not indicated whether the facility will be allowed to continue operating. [continues 509 words]
Plan to Prevent Kids From Using OTTAWA - A new national program designed to prevent youth from using drugs received a $10 million cheque from the federal government on Wednesday. The money is slated to go toward the Drug Prevention Strategy for Youth, a new five-year plan led by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, the government-supported national agency for substance abuse. The strategy will target youth between the ages of 10 and 24 and will have several goals: to reduce the number of youth using illegal drugs, to delay and deter the onset of drug use, to reduce the frequency of drug use, and to reduce multiple drug use among those young people who do use. [continues 320 words]
OTTAWA -- A new national program designed to prevent youth from using drugs received a $10 million cheque from the federal government on Wednesday. The money is slated to go toward the Drug Prevention Strategy for Youth, a new five-year plan led by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, the government-supported national agency for substance abuse. The strategy will target youth between the ages of 10 and 24 and will have several goals: to reduce the number of youth using illegal drugs, to delay and deter the onset of drug use, to reduce the frequency of drug use, and to reduce multiple drug use among those young people who do use. [continues 317 words]
