Police chief says: Cracking down on drugs and fighting crimes against seniors are among the new year's resolutions of the Belleville Police Service. Reducing the number of 911 hang-up calls, working to improve the crime clearance rate and committing to resources are also high on the service's 2006 to-do list, said Police Chief Stephen Tanner. These things are top priorities for good reason, he said. "The Belleville Police Service is committed to meeting the needs of our community and citizens and to making this city the safest possible in which to live, work, and play," he said. "We are also committed to the prevention of crime whenever possible and to the pursuit of criminals who commit crimes within our city." [continues 481 words]
Steve Kubby, Who Uses Medical Marijuana, Has Been Ordered Out of Canada VANCOUVER - The wife of a California man who uses marijuana to ease his cancer symptoms wept outside Federal Court Monday after pleading her family's case to prevent his deportation. "I need to ask the Canadian people for help, because I'm losing the battle against saving my husband's life," Michele Kubby cried. Kubby argued on behalf of her husband, Steve, who was too ill to attend the hearing. [continues 485 words]
Boston Clergyman Advises Toronto To Fight Violence With Intervention A Boston pastor who took a leading role in combatting guns and gangs told city councillors yesterday that Toronto must invest in its troubled communities if it is to avoid a spiral of violence experienced by some U.S. cities. Rev. Eugene Rivers, a key force in the so-called Boston Miracle that saw homicide rates plummet during the 1990s, was invited to Toronto by Councillor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre) and the Greater Toronto Area Faith Alliance to offer his advice in the wake of Toronto's record 52 gun-related homicides last year. [continues 497 words]
THERE IS A STRIKING ANTIDOTE to worsening security in Afghanistan, where suicide bombing and convoy ambushes now occur every day. Increasingly, these Taliban- and Al Qaeda-sponsored attacks are linked to opium and heroin trafficking. Afghanistan supplies 80 percent of Europe's heroin and is the largest grower of poppies in the world. Instead of legalizing poppy growing or attempting to eradicate the stubborn plants and destroy the livelihoods of impoverished farmers, why not pay the farmers to grow something else? Afghans already grow wheat as their staple grain. [continues 671 words]
Somebody please tell Stephen Harper that taxpayers' money is already paying for drugs for drug addicts. They break into our homes and steal our cars. The old system isn't working. It's interesting that he is the only person in the chain against the proposal. Maybe he hasn't been broken into, yet. Ed Lien, Victoria. [end]
Most county voters support California's 9-year-old medical marijuana law and oppose San Diego County supervisors' plan to sue to overturn it, according to a survey released Monday. In addition, the survey said most respondents would vote to replace the supervisors over the issue. The $15,000 telephone survey of 500 randomly selected county voters - ---- 100 from each of the county's five districts ---- was commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project, a national nonprofit group that wants to decriminalize all marijuana use. [continues 646 words]
VANCOUVER (CanWest News Service) - Michele Kubby made a last-ditch appeal yesterday to stay in Canada. She and her husband, Steve Kubby, medical marijuana advocates from California, are facing deportation after exhausting all previous avenues of appeal. Mrs. Kubby appeared in Federal Court yesterday to argue on behalf of her husband, who she said was too ill to attend court. Mrs. Kubby said they deserve a stay on their immigration removal order because her husband, who suffers from a rare form of cancer and has a medical certificate to use marijuana for treatment, faces possible death in jail if returned to the United States. It is an argument they have made previously in immigration and court hearings to no avail. [continues 135 words]
Young People May Have Reached A Consensus On Gay Marriage, But Are Divided On The Legalization Of Marijuana, And Most Want To Raise The Age Of Consent For Sex For Melissa Couto, allowing same-sex marriage is a matter of basic human rights. "If anyone is in love, then they should be able to do whatever they want and the government shouldn't control what people do," says the 21-year-old who is studying jewellery arts at George Brown College in Toronto. [continues 349 words]
The assumption of Evo Morales as president of Bolivia promises a significant revamping of the country's political and economic system. He is a popular leader with significant following among the indigenous Bolivian population. He comes to power with an ambitious programme of development for this country. Bolivia's relationship with the United States and with international companies with interest in the country's resources will be critical for his presidency. His visit to China and his talks with Chinese leaders may be significant in terms of achieving important commercial deals. [continues 643 words]
Marijuana activist Marc Emery says he is under investigation for producing pro-NDP advertising in violation of the Elections Act. He says he was unaware that his magazine, Cannabis Culture, needed to register as a third party in order to produce and distribute materials endorsing the NDP's pot decriminalization stance. "I've run afoul of two regulations," said Emery, also known as the Prince of Pot. "I suspect I'll be fined." Cannabis Culture magazine released pro-NDP posters and handbills on Saturday, and received a call from Elections Canada within 24 hours. The representative said Elections Canada would also look into posters endorsing the NDP for the 2004 election. [continues 155 words]