MINISTER QUESTIONS MAYOR'S WAR ON DRUGS

'No Magic Bullets,' Says Anne Mclellan

EDMONTON - Health Minister Anne McLellan says she understands the
frustration over drug-war slayings in Edmonton that last week led
Mayor Bill Smith to tell drug pushers and users to get out of town.

"It's frustrating for all of us who live in this community. This isn't
only an Edmonton issue, it's an issue in Canada and elsewhere," the
Edmonton MP said Wednesday.

There are no simple answers in fighting the illicit drug trade and
organized crime that handles much of it, she said.

"Let's face it, the Americans declared a war on drugs a long time ago
and most people have declared that war has failed," McLellan said.

"We need to acknowledge the problem, we need to get better information
about the extent of the problem and then we have to figure out what
the strategies are that are actually effective in combatting the drug
trade and the illegal use of drugs.

"It is about information and education, it is about law enforcement,
it is about reaching those who are addicts and getting them treatment
and support so that hopefully they can break the habit."

Ottawa's national drug strategy, with $247 million in funding over
five years, will be used to work with communities, police, doctors and
researchers .

"I really do believe much of that strategy has to be driven from the
grassroots," she said, "and it has to be local communities, local
governments, organizations in the community who understand what's
happening there."

Finding ways to break the back of organized crime also has to be part
of any strategy, she said.

"It's a complex problem. There are no magic bullets."

The mayor's warning to drug traffickers and users was sparked by the
Oct. 8 slaying of 17-year-old Richard Prasad.

Prasad, who was shot to death, was the third gangland-style killing in
the past month. Police suspect his death was linked to illegal drugs.

Two men have been charged but there haven't been arrests in the other
recent slayings.

Deputy police chief Mike Bradshaw, speaking Wednesday to the police
commission, said a disturbing trend is developing when it comes to
gang brutality.

"There seems to be a growing number of people involved in gang
activity who are arming themselves quite heavily," Bradshaw said.

"We are also taking more guns off the street than ever
before."

Eleven attacks, including the three homicides since July, he said,
involved firearms.

Bradshaw said the good news is community groups and the police are
starting to work together more effectively to deal with the issue.

A steering committee involving dozens of groups is close to being
formed. It will come up with a co-ordinated approach to preventing
gang activity, he said.

DRUG STATS

- - As temperatures climbed this past summer, so too did incidents of
gang violence in Edmonton, police statistics show.

- - Although overall gangland crime went down slightly in July, August
and September from the three spring months, occurrences of violence
jumped to 35 from 26.

- - Deputy police chief Mike Bradshaw presented the statistics to the
city's police commission on Wednesday, saying gang violence typically
reaches its peak during the summer months.

- - "These gang guys are not stupid. They don't want to be outside when
its 10 or 20 below, just like everyone else."