ONE FINAL SALUTE

The slaying of four Mounties Thursday in Alberta was a tragic
reminder of the risks faced by police officers every day.

Shock and horror don't even begin to describe the feelings of
Canadians after four Mounties were gunned down on an Alberta farm Thursday.

The slain officers were investigating a suspected marijuana growing
operation at a farm near Mayerthorpe, about 130 kilometres northwest
of Edmonton, when they had the misfortune to encounter 46-year-old Jim
Roszko, a career criminal whose own father described him as "a wicked
devil".

When the gunfire had ended, all four of the RCMP officers and Roszko
were dead.

Much attention has been focused since the shooting on the spread of
marijuana grow ops. Some fear the Liberal government's plans to
decriminalize the possession of small amounts of pot is creating the
impression marijuana use is being "normalized", giving criminals even
more incentive to cash in through massive grow ops. Others believe
decriminalization or legalization would virtually end the illegal drug
trade.

While federal Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan says she'll
consider tougher penalties for those convicted of running marijuana
grow ops, now is a time to mourn, not make hasty legislation.

The RCMP will doubtless review every detail of what happened Thursday
to try and protect officers in future. But as RCMP Commissioner
Giuliano Zaccardelli noted, "policing and these major operations are
never without risk."

A gunman armed with a high-powered rifle turned Thursday's routine
investigation into a tragedy. It's the risk of the unpredictable that
all Canadian police officers face every day, with 40 dying in the line
of duty since 2000.

Closer to home, it's not just the fact that one of Thursday's victims,
Constable Brock Myrol, has family ties to Outlook that made the
tragedy keenly felt in Saskatchewan. The loss of any Mountie in the
line of duty is always a particular blow here since the RCMP and its
predecessor, the North West Mounted Police, have been based in Regina
since 1882. In 1920, the RCMP Training Academy was established and
every member trained there has come to be regarded as "one of our boys".

Today, we mourn four of "our boys" -- constables Peter Christopher
Schiemann, Anthony Fitzgerald Orion Gordon, Lionide Nicholas Johnston
and Brock Warren Myrol.