Ridge Meadows RCMP continue to fax search warrant applications for approval by a judicial justice of the peace to Burnaby despite a provincial court ruling last month that the practice is unlawful. Judge Ellen Gordon said the Criminal Code requires police officers to personally appear in front of a judge or justice of the peace to explain their application unless there is no other practical way to obtain a warrant except by using a fax. Gordon's comments were made during a trial that saw an accused marijuana grower acquitted after an RCMP officer obtained a search warrant by fax. [continues 437 words]
These are not good times for those who oppose tougher and more sweeping mandatory minimum sentences for people convicted of gun offences. Homicide rates have been climbing -- shootings are the most common method to dispatch one's enemies -- and politicians sense that the public's had enough. During the last federal election campaign, the Conservatives, the Liberals and, hey, even the bleeding-heart NDP pledged stronger penalties for gun-related crimes. Ever sensitive to the public mood, politicians know full well that Canadians are fed up with the tame sentences given to many violent offenders. [continues 489 words]
SIR: Re: "Business busted; Police seize $23,000 worth of drug paraphernalia," Dec. 5 Chatham Daily News. As a federal medical marijuana license holder who is also married to one, I was surprised by your Dec. 5 story. First of all, marijuana smoking devices are sold in stores all over Canada, and on line. Sure, it might be officially illegal, but then so what? Since marijuana is legal for medical purposes, and medical users like myself need to get pipes and papers somewhere, busting this store might violate the Charter Rights of any medical users who may have patronized it. [continues 74 words]
Toronto - As fire chief in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario's new Fire Marshal garnered a reputation for helping police tear down marijuana grow operations through his aggressive approach to fire prevention. Although he says he is taking aim at fire hazards, not drugs, Patrick Burke is expected to have an impact on grow ops and drug labs across the province when he steps into the provincial role today. "All we're interested in is the correction and prosecution of blatant fire code violations," says Burke, who served with the Windsor fire department for 34 years before becoming chief in Niagara Falls in 2002. [continues 423 words]
Editor, RE: The Liberals and marijuana. No party will ever legalize marijuana, not even the NDP or Greens (even if they got power). Any legalization of marijuana will come the same way as abortion and same-sex marriage -- through the courts. The so-called 'decrim' bill proposed by the Chretien and Martin regimes was actually worse than the laws we have already. But, still, the Liberals have decided not to legalize marijuana. Regulating marijuana would make pot harder for kids to access, save us about $2 billion in annual enforcement, courts, and corrections costs, generate an additional $3 billion in annual tax revenue, increase tourism, and free up police, court, and corrections services for pedophiles and child-porn enthusiasts. But the most important benefit of legalizing marijuana is that it would put gangsters out of business. Imagine my surprise to see that the Liberal Party decided against that. But, then, Tories are against it, too. Russell Barth Federal Medical Marijuana License Holder Ottawa [end]
Realtors from across the province met with business leaders and MPPs in Toronto last week for the annual political affairs conference of the Ontario Real Estate Association. Real Quest Realty Ltd. broker Josie Manna, conference chair for the Orillia and District Real Estate Board, was among the local contingent. Realtors expressed the need for action on two key issues: the creation of a provincial grow-op registry, and the protection of property owners from title fraud. The grow-op databank would be readily accessible and contain a list of all street addresses of known marijuana grow operations in Ontario. [continues 79 words]
I hope the good people of Vermont realize Windsor County State's Attorney Robert Sand is not alone in his negative views on our War on Drugs. His stand, so fairly represented in Susan Smallheer's excellent Herald article, "State's attorney critical of drug laws" (Thursday, Nov. 30) deserves an airing. After all, our freedom of expression, if not exercised, becomes silent acquiescence to laws and policies we are better without. As a retired police captain, with 20 years service in law enforcement, I know Mr. Sand speaks a truth few in government dare acknowledge. That truth is: "The drug war is counterproductive and accomplishes none of its goals. Instead it leads to greater threats and harms to our citizens and provides a lucrative market for criminals and their gangs and syndicates." [continues 451 words]
Many Say the Pair Should Be Fired for Allegedly Smoking Pot Some students and parents at [redacted] were shocked and disappointed after two teachers were arrested for allegedly smoking marijuana before they headed to work. "I think it's absolutely awful," said Stacy Starustka, who waited to pick up her daughter. "I think they should be terminated." Some other parents and students agreed, saying the Department of Education should fire teachers [redacted] for the alleged drug-related offense. About 8:45 a.m. Monday, police said, [redacted] were allegedly smoking marijuana in Ayson's green pickup truck at the [redacted]. [continues 383 words]
Little Oversight, Bad Information a Deadly Mix The botched Atlanta raid that ended in the shooting death of 88-year-old Kathryn Johnston was sad and tragic, but unfortunately, it was neither uncommon nor unpredictable. After taking a year to research and write a paper for the Cato Institute on the proliferation of forced-entry, paramilitary-style raids, I'm sorry to say Johnston is just one of at least 40 innocent people killed in botched raids over the last 20 years in America. Worse, there are dozens more cases of low-level offenders, bystanders - - and police officers killed or injured. [continues 651 words]
A judge on Wednesday upheld California's law permitting the use of medical marijuana for medical purposes, rejecting a lawsuit by three counties challenging the decade-old statute. San Bernardino, San Diego and Merced counties argued that local governments shouldn't be bound to uphold state laws that are weaker than the federal blanket ban on marijuana. San Diego Superior Court Judge William R. Nevitt Jr. wrote in his ruling that counties would not be breaking federal law by giving out state identification cards to marijuana patients. [continues 290 words]
According to a Justice Department report, released last week, one in every 32 U.S. adults were on parole, probation or incarcerated at the end of 2005. Out of the total 7 million people cited in the Justice Department report, 4.1 million Americans were on probation, 784,000 were on parole and 2.2 million were in prison or jail. One of the fastest growing demographics in the report was that of women, which increased 2.6 percent in state or federal prison compared to 2004. By contrast, the male inmate population increased by 1.9 percent. [continues 58 words]
Homemade chocolate bars each containing cannabis with a street value of around UKP20 were supplied by post to multiple sclerosis sufferers for pain relief, a court heard yesterday. Gift shop manager Mark Gibson, 42, and his wife Lezley, 42, who has MS, both from Alston, Cumbria, and Marcus Davies, 36, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, "made no secret" of their involvement in such activity to police, Carlisle Crown Court was told. But the trio deny two charges each of conspiring together to supply cannabis throughout 2004, until February 2005. [continues 300 words]
