TORIES TAKE HARDER LINE ON ILLEGAL DRUG USERS

Anti-Drug Strategy

The federal government will introduce legislation this fall that
would require mandatory minimum jail sentences for people convicted
of "serious" drug crimes, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday.

"Currently there are no minimum prison sentences for producing and
trafficking dangerous drugs like methamphetamines and cocaine," Mr.
Harper told a news conference. "But these are serious crimes; those
who commit them should do serious time."

But in launching the government's long-awaited,$63.8-million national
anti-drug strategy in Winnipeg, Mr. Harper also promised to be
compassionate toward people hooked on illegal drugs. In particular,
the Prime Minister said he is concerned about rising drug use among
youth. He also noted that drug use takes an expensive toll on the
health care system and fuels crime.

"Narcotics destroy lives. They rob young people of their futures,
they tear families apart, they make our streets less safe and they
lay waste to our communities."

Mr. Harper said the government's response will be two-pronged,
focusing on drug addicts on one hand and on drug producers and
dealers on the other.

"Drugs are dangerous and destructive. If drugs do get hold of you,
there will be help to get you off them," Mr. Harper said. "But if you
sell or produce drugs, you will pay with prison time. Our two-track
approach will be tough on the dealers and producers of drugs and
compassionate for their victims."

He underlined that tough new anti-drug laws will be a major component
of the government's plan, but confirmed that two-thirds of the
funding will go toward the prevention and treatment of illicit drug
use. The plan also includes a major national public awareness
campaign aimed at youth and their parents.

"Interdiction by itself is not going to be enough," said Mr. Harper,
flanked by Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Health Minister
Tony Clement. "Our government recognizes that we also have to find
new ways to prevent people from becoming enslaved to drugs and we
need new laws to free them from drugs when they get hooked."

Other details unveiled by Mr. Harper about the plan included funding
for the provinces and territories for drug abuse programs,
modernizing treatment services and making them more widely available,
financial support for youth intervention programs, more money for
police agencies to investigate and prosecute drug crimes, ramping up
the RCMP's drug unit programs, and increased funding for the Canada
Border Services Agency.

Some details of the plan were in the last federal budget, including a
breakdown of the overall funding to distribute about $10-million to
prevention initiatives, $32-million for treatment for drug addicts,
and $22-million to crack down on production and dealers.

"Solving Canada's drug problem will require a huge effort. We won't
get clean overnight but we will put our country on the road to
recovery," said Mr. Harper.

Even before it was made public, the government's plan drew darts and
laurels from all sides of the drug debate. Liberal and New Democratic
Party critics said the government is embracing a U.S.-style "war on
drugs" that treats drug abuse as more of a criminal matter than a
health issue. Liberal MP Keith Martin, a physician, and NDP MP Libby
Davies both said the government should focus more on harm-reduction
programs, such as safe injection sites and needle exchanges.

Mr. Harper admitted yesterday that he remains skeptical about the
program and said that even if it's effective, it's a "second-best
strategy at best."

"If you remain a drug addict, I don't care how much harm you reduce,
you're going to have a short and miserable life," said Mr. Harper. He
pledged to continue to study the program but noted that his
government's "tentative conclusion" is that safe injection sites, if
allowed to operate, should operate in concert with other programs
that aim to treat addicts.

[sidebar]

KEY POINTS

- -$21.6-million over two years to support law enforcement in
combatting illegal use of drugs.

- -$10-million over two years to implement a national prevention
campaign aimed at youth and their parents.

- -$32.2-million over two years to support treatment services that will
address substance abuse.