TORIES LAUNCH BILL TO TOUGHEN DRUG-PEDDLING PENALTIES

Proposed Legislation Would Set Mandatory Prison Terms for Dealers Who
Are Linked to Organized Crime or Who Traffic Near Schools

OTTAWA -- Serious drug offenders could no longer hope for leniency
under new legislation introduced yesterday by the federal government.
Justice Minister Rob Nicholson offered an unusually sympathetic
message for those who resort to non-violent crime to support their
habits, but he also urged strong action against major producers and
dealers and drug peddlers whose customers include young people.

"For too long, Canadians have been getting mixed messages about
drugs," Mr. Nicholson told reporters. "With today's bill, we are
saying that serious drug crimes will mean serious jail times."

The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) currently specifies no
mandatory minimum penalties. The amendments proposed by the
government would change that.

Mr. Nicholson is asking for a one-year mandatory prison sentence for
drug dealers linked to organized crime.

He wants a two-year mandatory prison sentence for people who sell
drugs such as cocaine, heroin or methamphetamines to youth or who
peddle their wares near schools and other places frequented by young people.

He proposes a two-year mandatory prison sentence for those who run
large marijuana grow operations and an increase in the maximum
penalty permitted for cannabis production from seven to 14 years.

And he would bring in tougher penalties for people who sell date-rape drugs.

"The bill tabled today is aimed at serious drug offenders, not those
addicted to drugs who may commit crimes to support their habits,"
said Mr. Nicholson. "Our government understands that many offenders
involved in dealing only do so to support their habits and are not
necessarily violent."

The proposal for mandatory minimum sentences marks the second time in
as many days that the Conservatives have unveiled justice measures.
On Monday, they tabled proposed amendments to the youth crime law.
And tomorrow they will introduce laws aimed at curbing identity theft.

The new legislation would allow the courts to impose less than the
mandatory sentence if an offender successfully completes a federally
funded Drug Treatment Court program that involves a blend of judicial
supervision, incentives for reduced drug use and social services.

The announcement was held at the Rideauwood Addiction and Family
Services Centre in Ottawa Centre, where director Paul Welsh said he
welcomed the emphasis on treatment for addiction as an alternative to
incarceration.

But Libby Davies, an NDP MP, said she believes the overall direction
of the bill mirrors the U.S. policy of waging a war on drugs.

"The U.S. prisons are filled with people who have been incarcerated
as a result of drug crimes," she said. "For Canada to continue with
that kind of direction and to adopt that model, I think we have
serious concerns about that."

The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network also took issue with the
mandatory sentences.

In addition to the massive cost of a larger prison population, higher
incarceration rates lead to higher infection rates of blood-borne
diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C, the network said in a statement.

The Justice Minister was asked if he believed that Canadian judges
have been soft on this type of crime. "It's not meant as a criticism
of anyone or anybody," he responded.