PROBLEM OF ORGANIZED CRIME

OTTAWA - During debate in the House of Commons, Langley-Abbotsford MP Randy
White pledged his support for a Bloc Quebecois motion that calls for the
Justice Committee to study the issue of organized crime in Canada, and
report back to the House by the end of October 2000.

"We have a minister in this House, the Solicitor General (Lawrence MacAuley)
in particular, who said the government gave $78-million (on smuggling) or
$50-million (on airport security) to fight organized crime. Is he kidding?

That is petty cash in Vancouver," said White. "Lots of dealers have
$50-million."

Although the Solicitor General discussed using proceeds from crime and
anti-gang legislation, White says he refuses to acknowledge an even larger
problem - drug cartels in prison. "Instead of dealing with the problem in
the prisons, the Solicitor General is building a research facility in his
PEI riding for $2.5-million to study drugs in prison - in a province that
has no prisons," added White.

"If he has to study drugs in prisons, why does he have to build a brand new
facility in his riding?

Why can it not be done in one of the many government buildings that have
been vacated?

He could use the Aldergrove base that has been closed down - it's right
smack dab in the middle of all the prison problems, drugs, cartels and
organized crime problems the Solicitor General can handle." White says the
main problem is a lack of leadership, since a number of people who are
currently fighting this issue have given up all hope of any solutions coming
from the federal government. "However, it takes an opposition party to come
in here and tell the government to get off it's butt, to take this to
committee, and to do something about the problem of organized crime.

This is just terrible," White said.