OTTAWA SAYS IT'S GETTING TOUGHER ON DRUG DEALERS

The federal government is investing $8.9 million over the next two
years to help quash Canada's illicit drug trade.

Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day made the announcement under
the National Anti-Drug Strategy on Friday at the RCMP 'F' Division
headquarters. The RCMP and its partners will now have nearly $9
million in additional funding to help them detect, investigate, and
take down criminal organizations involved in the production and sale
of illicit drugs.

"We are committed to safer streets and safer communities," said Day.
"First and foremost responsibility of any level of government is the
safety and security of its citizens."

Day said the funding will target illicit drug producers such as grow
ops, meth labs and other types of synthetic drugs.

"A small dealer is just someone who wants to become a bigger dealer,"
he said. "When it comes to the production of certain types of drugs we
want to send a clear message that there is zero tolerance."

The government's National Anti-Drug Strategy takes a three-pronged
approach. It focuses on reducing the supply and demand of illegal
drugs as well as addressing the crime associated with illicit drugs.

"We have also wanted to make it clear that we're going to have a
strong message and strong action on the enforcement side and we've
changed some laws to adapt to that," explained Day.

Since October the government has made investments to strengthen
Canada's borders to prevent the drugs from coming into the country and
has brought forth legislation to introduce mandatory jail time for
people who produce and sell illegal drugs.

In addition the government has invested $7 million in communities
across Canada to address youth drug use and $10 million over the next
two years in a national prevention campaign aimed at young people and
their parents.

Day said any drug problem whether it's small or large is still a
problem.

"The destructive component of these drugs on individual lives and the
effect that has on our communities is something that cannot be
neglected and has to be taken seriously," said Day.

The new tough-on-crime strategy being implemented is of concern to
some organizations.

"From our perspective as a human rights organization focused on
HIV/AIDS issues it's a really problematic strategy," said Alison
Symington, senior policy analyst for the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.

"One of the key things that jumps out right away is that they are
portraying it as getting tough on dealers and they are going to help
addicts. But that's a really artificial distinction."

Symington is particularly concerned with the government's plan to
implement mandatory minimum sentences.

"Mandatory minimum sentences have been shown to affect much low-level,
street-level dealers, people who are distributing small amounts of
drugs to support their own addictions. They don't really get at the
kingpins or the big dealers who deal in large quantities," she explained.

Symington said the strategy is a policy based on ideology and not
evidence. She said prevention and treatment is much more effective
than law enforcement. Symington said Canada only has to look at the
U.S. to see that this type of drug strategy model does not work.

"The drug problems in the U.S. have gotten worse and they have a huge
population of non-violent offenders," said Symington.

Ideally, she would like to see the government focus on drug treatment,
prevention and harm reduction.

"We want to make sure people understand what the government is saying
is misleading and what they are proposing is ineffective," said Symington.

"And do what we can to get this legislation changed and to have
policies that are more effective and more protective of human rights
enacted instead of policies we know are going to be ineffective."