MANDATORY PRISON TERMS FOR DRUG DEALERS PROPOSED

The Conservative government unveiled historic legislation Tuesday to
create the first mandatory prison terms in Canada for people
convicted of trafficking illicit drugs.

The proposed changes are the newest chapter in the Harper
government's sweeping crackdown on crime, which includes bills before
Parliament to toughen rules for repeat violent offenders, to keep
accused young offenders in jail before their trials, and now to
impose automatic prison penalties on serious drug offenders.

"Anything that brings a more strict penalty for the use of illegal
drugs in the course of drug trafficking, and the use of criminal
organized structure-- these are all huge benefits to law
enforcement," said Insp. Shaun Gissing, in charge of the Calgary
Police Service organized crime section, who welcomed the changes.

While tougher sentencing will help crack down on drug trafficking,
Calgary Ald. Ric McIvor said addressing mandatory treatment for drug
addicts will also act as a deterrent.

"The other way you hurt drug dealers is by taking away their
customers," said McIvor, who sits on the Calgary police commission.

Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act currently contains no
mandatory prison sentences for anyone convicted under the act.

However, the new bill proposes:

- - a one-year mandatory jail term for dealing drugs while using a
weapon, or for dealing drugs in support of organized crime;

- - a two-year mandatory term for dealing cocaine, heroin or
methamphetamines to young people, or for dealing them near a school
or any place young people are known to frequent;

- - a mandatory six-month sentence for growing as little as one
marijuana plant, for the purposes of trafficking;

- - a two-year mandatory term for running a marijuana grow operation of
at least 500 plants;

- - a doubling of the maximum prison term for cannabis production from
seven to 14 years.

Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said Tuesday the changes in
the sentencing provisions are designed to target the people the
government considers at the root of the drug supply problem.