Justice Minister Murray Scott wants to crack down on crack houses and crystal-meth labs, but he might have to wait until after the coming election. Scott introduced seven bills at Province House Friday that could serve as the Progressive Conservative election platform on crime. They will have to be introduced again in the fall if the Tories win an expected June 13 vote. The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act would give police more power to close houses used by gangs, pushers and pimps. [continues 182 words]
MLA Challenges Lotto CEO To Explain VLT-Policy Logic HALIFAX - The logic that supports government-sanctioned video gambling could be used to legalize drugs, a Tory backbencher said yesterday. Atlantic Lotto CEO Michelle Carinci told a legislature committee a prohibition on VLTs would only drive video gambling underground. Kings North Conservative MLA Mark Parent noted governments don't throw up their hands and legalize heroin and cocaine just because there's a black market. "I suppose you are in support of the legalization of illicit drugs in Canada," Parent told Carinci. [continues 260 words]
Nova Scotia's political potheads nearly missed their own news conference yesterday when they learned the legislature is not on Barrington Street. The Marijuana Party invited media to hear about its platform at the "Provincial Legislative Building (Barrington Street)" at noon. Reporters showed up on time outside the assembly on Hollis Street, but party officials were nowhere in sight. The media scrum moved up to Grand Parade and found a few party supporters looking for the same announcement. One reporter took a cab to Government House, which is on Barrington, the lieutenant governor's residence, hoping to find Marijuana brass. [continues 131 words]
The Hamm government wants to stigmatize stoned-looking drivers with the cops, not with insurance companies. Service Nova Scotia Minister Peter Christie "clarified" comments yesterday on proposed changes to the Motor Vehicle Act, saying the intent isn't to give potheads high insurance bills. "That notation is on your record, but it's available only to the police and to the registrar," he told reporters. "Those details are not available to your insurance company." Christie said the new law would give police the right to suspend a licence for 24 hours if they believe a driver is under the influence of a drug other than alcohol. [continues 257 words]
Young Nova Scotians turned away from cigarettes this year, but booze and pot remained popular. The 2002 student drug-use survey shows the smoking rate among adolescents was 23 per cent, down from 36 per cent four years ago. That's the lowest level recorded since the surveys began in 1991. The co-ordinator of the province's tobacco strategy said lower smoking rates are showing up across Canada, and appear to be the result of anti-cigarette education and higher prices. [continues 339 words]
North-end Dartmouth residents ask police commission to help rid area of crack addicts, hookers North-end Dartmouth residents says they are fed up with prostitutes hanging out on church doorsteps and crack addicts staggering out of at least eight houses in the neighbourhood. People from the area yesterday asked the Halifax Police Commission to help take care of a problem they say has become worse since amalgamation. "Many of our people feel that we are a neighbourhood under siege," said District 9 Neighbourhood Watch spokesman Brian Crowley. [continues 316 words]
Province Urged To Share Proceeds-of-crime Account With Municipalities To Help Fund Policing If crime pays, Halifax Regional Municipality should get a share, says Albro Lake Councillor Clint Schofield. Schofield, a member of the city's police commission, said he wants the province to share its proceeds-of-crime account with municipalities, because they pay for law enforcement. The extra money could be used to beef-up policing in areas such as his north-end Dartmouth district, which has been battling prostitution and drugs in recent years. [continues 215 words]
