TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR SERIOUS DRUG CRIMES BEST WAY TO FIGHT GANGS

As part of our government's ongoing efforts to crack down on gangs
and organized crime, we recently re-introduced legislation that
provides for mandatory minimum penalties for serious drug crimes.

The illicit drug trade is the number one source of income for most
gangs and other criminal organizations. This legislation will ensure
that those who own grow ops or meth labs will face significant jail time.

The new legislation increases penalties for a number of aggravating
factors. This includes a two-year mandatory prison sentence for the
offence of running a large marijuana grow operation involving at
least 500 plants and a two-year sentence for those who deal harmful
drugs such as cocaine, heroin or crystal meth, to youth or near areas
such as a school.

Furthermore, any drug offences involving weapons or violence will be
subject to, at the very least, a one-year mandatory minimum sentence.

The new legislation also includes tougher penalties for trafficking
GHB and other date-rape drugs. We feel it is absolutely necessary to
strengthen the sentences for those who deal these drugs because all
too often they are used to commit the worst kinds of crimes, most
often against women. Our government is sending a message to dealers:
if you engage in this behaviour, you will face serious consequences.

The best way to address organized crime is to cut off their source of
income. This new legislation will ensure that those who are convicted
of serious drug offences are kept off our streets, and that dealers
are kept away from our children. The safety and security of Canadians
is our government's foremost responsibility, and as the parliamentary
secretary to the minister of justice, I will be working to ensure
that these legislative protections are passed by Parliament as
quickly as possible.

www.robmooremp.com

moorer@parl.gc.ca