OPPOSITION UNITES TO PUSH PROCEEDS OF CRIME BILL

The federal opposition is flexing its muscles, with all three parties
joining forces to push through a Bloc Quebecois-proposed bill that
would toughen laws against gangsters by making it easier for police to
seize the proceeds of crime.

While private member's bills normally have little chance of becoming
law, Bloc MP Richard Marceau's effort to clamp down on organized crime
has a good chance of success in light of the unusual cross-party
support in the minority Parliament.

It's the first joint policy measure since the opposition acquired
enough strength in the June 28 election to out-vote the government.

"I think the support of the three opposition parties would signal it
is going to go through," said Joe Comartin, the bill's NDP backer.

The bill will be tabled Thursday and the three opposition parties will
hold a joint press conference to promote the initiative.

The proposed legislation would force people convicted of having links
to organized crime to prove that their assets were acquired honestly,
a measure that would reverse the burden of proof that normally
requires the prosecution to make a case of guilt rather than the
accused to prove innocence.

The opposition parties are bypassing the Liberals instead of lobbying
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler for his support.

Mr. Cotler's spokeswoman, Denise Rudnicki, said she knows nothing
about the opposition initiative and there are no government plans to
introduce more legislation on organized crime.

Mr. Comartin said he supports the bill because "it's a logical
extension of some of the work we've already done around gangsterism
and organized crime."

The Liberals passed a law three years ago to fight organized crime by
strengthening anti-gang legislation that critics complained resulted
in few convictions and light sentences.

The new law made it a crime to lead or even assist a criminal
organization, increased jail times for those found to have gang links
and provided more protection for public officials and
prosecutors.

The government continues to tackle organized crime through other
initiatives, said Ms. Rudnicki.

The federal bill to decriminalize marijuana, to be reintroduced this
fall after dying when the election was called, imposes harsher
penalties on marijuana grow operations, which are a major moneymaker
for organized crime.

There is also legislation in the works to make human trafficking a
specific Criminal Code offence. Trafficking in women and children has
also become a major growth industry for organized crime.

Mr. Marceau could not be reached for comment on his initiative.