FUNDS SOUGHT TO FIGHT CRIME

Solicitor-general eyes budget surplus to step up attack

Solicitor-General Andy Scott wants Finance Minister Paul Martin's ear.

Like many federal cabinet ministers, Scott wants Martin to invest some of
this year's budget surplus - estimated at $3 billion - into his ministry,
which is responsible for law enforcement and public safety.

Specifically, Scott wants money to boost resources in the fight against
organized crime.

The solicitor-general's ministry received $2.8 billion in this year's
federal budget. That money covers the costs of operating departments like
the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Corrections Canada, the National Parole
Board, and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service - which together
employ 37,000 people.

But Scott said more money is needed. ``Law enforcement has to keep up with
the advances that are being made by the bad guys,'' he told reporters
yesterday, after meeting with RCMP officials in Newmarket.

``Theoretically, it makes much more sense to attack the drug (trade) at a
higher level in the bad-guy chain. But that's expensive.''

Scott couldn't say exactly how expensive improving Canada's fight against
organized crime will be. He's meeting with law enforcement officials and
developing a strategy, to be presented in the House of Commons this fall,
that will outline how to deal with organized crime, and how much money is
needed to implement the strategy.

``This (consultation with RCMP) gives me the ammunition to make the case
for resources,'' Scott said. ``So that I can say, here's the reality, and
if we don't have enough money, we don't get to do it right.''

An estimated 18 organized crime groups are operating in Canada, ranging
from biker gangs like the Hells Angels to foreign organizations such as the
Russian Mafia and various Asian groups.

Canada has 53,000 law enforcement officers and RCMP Inspector Garry Nichols
says that's not enough to tackle organized crime properly.

He said globalization has forced many organized crime groups to work
together, rather than fight over territory. Canada is attractive to
criminals because it's a gateway to the United States and the world's
largest consumer market, Nichols said.

The drug trade, in particular, is growing in Canada as more organizations
use Canadian ports to smuggle drugs around the world, Nichols said. It's
estimated the drug trade costs Canada $1.4 billion a year in law
enforcement and health problems.

Scott will have to lobby hard to persuade Martin to donate sizeable amounts
of the budget surplus to him instead of to ministries such as health,
Indian affairs and defence.

At a two-day cabinet retreat last week, Prime Minister Jean Chretien
downplayed this year's surplus, blaming the Asian crisis for slowing
Canada's economic growth. He said money to the various ministries would be
strained.

``Every department that had been squeezed at the time of the cuts would
like to get more money,'' Chretien said.

``So there is a lot of competition among the different departments. The
demands are always more than the money available.''

Still, Scott thinks he has a good case. He said developing a strategy
first, and then going to Martin for money will make the government more
receptive to his requests, rather than asking for money and then coming up
with a plan.

Scott said he also needs money to meet Canada's commitment to the $5
billion United Nations initiative, endorsed this month by 186 nations, to
rid the world of opium poppies and cocca leaves (for cocaine production) by
the year 2008.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski