WATCH PROGRESS OF DRUG LAWS

As promised, the federal Conservative minority government officially
launched their bid to toughen the nation's laws.

Legislation introduced Tuesday will ensure a mandatory one-year
sentence for the use of violence or weapons while trafficking drugs, a
two-year sentence for dealing drugs to youth or for dealing near a
school or other area frequented by youth and automatic two-year jail
terms for those involved in large-scale (500 plant) grow ops.

Stiffer sentences also await those trafficking drugs within the
context of organized crime.

The government says the legislation will also introduce tougher
penalties for trafficking GHB and other drugs known as date-rape drugs.

For the most part, the moves are agreeable - though we suggest that a
number of individuals will attempt to argue that the further
criminalization of the marijuana production stream may not achieve a
positive end.

Just as there are arguments to suggest a "get-tough-on-drugs" approach
is doomed to fail, there are also some strong arguments to support a
tougher stance on violence and organized crime when connected to drug
production and sale.

The crime in our society is escalating, and whether one agrees with
the Conservative approach or not, their moves are at least some
attempt at mitigating the growing problems with drugs and drug-related
activity. Yet all of those arguments could well be rendered invalid:
the legislation proposed by the federal Conservatives needs to attain
approval from both Parliament and the Liberal-dominated Senate.

Certainly, at the parliamentary level, the Liberal Party cannot afford
a blow to its public image that would follow non-support.

Yet the Liberal Party may advise support at the parliamentary level to
boost public image, while at the same time plotting to ensure a quiet
death of the bill at the Senate level.

We trust that political image will not - as it too often does - stop a
viable attempt at improving public safety. For those reasons, the
Canadian people should watch the progress of this move carefully.