DRUG DEALERS NOT WELCOME

We have taken the liberty in this space many times in the past to
criticize the length, or lack thereof, of a number of criminal
sentences imposed by those who sit on the bench in the Nunavut Court
of Justice.

But this time we applaud the recent stance taken by Justice Earl D.
Johnson in imposing sentencing on two convicted drug traffickers in
Iqaluit who were dealing in crack cocaine.

The two are cousins who moved to Iqaluit from Edmonton.

Rafic ElCherkaowi, 23, was the smaller player of the two and received
an eight-month sentence.

His partner in crime, Mohammed Jamal Cherkaoui, 21, received a more
substantial four-year sentence.

The police raid on two Iqaluit apartments resulted in the seizure of
$78,400 in cash, and 1,484 grams of crack cocaine with a street value
of about $366,000.

In passing sentence, Johnson noted Cherkaoui was a remorseful young
man with no record and good prospects for rehabilitation.

But he also correctly noted the court must send a message to anyone in
southern Canada who would exploit Inuit: there will be a high cost to those
caught and convicted.

We add our voice to Johnson's in hoping the steep price of doing
illegal business in Nunavut will deter the majority of poison dealers
from setting up shop here.

Johnson referred to the drug as the curse of cocaine, which is exactly
what it is - pure evil.

We would, however, like to remind the judge all Nunavummiut run the
same risk of addiction when exposed to this highly addictive drug, not
just Inuit.

The rest of us, no matter what race or colour, have no built-in super
resistance to the drug.

Crack cocaine is totally colour blind when it comes to its ability to
ruin lives.

We don't advocate the use of any drug, recreational or otherwise, but
crack has few equals when it comes to the quickness and level of addiction.

Literally, tens of thousands of lives have been destroyed in Canada
and the U.S.A. from an addiction that started with someone just taking
a few hits of crack to give it a try.

A few months later, and experimentation has turned into selling
everything you own for that next rock.

When there's nothing left to sell, the stealing from your workplace,
friends, family, neighbours and local businesses begins.

Justice Johnson has sent a strong message to those who would bring the
poison of crack cocaine and other similar drugs such as ecstasy,
speed, heroin and crank into Nunavut.

Since these vultures forfeit their humanity by wrecking numerous
families and ruining thousands of lives for financial gain, the
Nunavut court system should forsake the human ideal of mercy when
handing down sentencing.

We here in Nunavut have enough challenges to overcome without seeing
our friends, neighbours and loved ones caught in the web of
destruction always weaved around hard drugs.

Hopefully, drug dealers will get Johnson's message that when it comes
to the products they're pushing: Nunavut is closed for business!