TORIES NOT DONE YET WITH GANGS

The federal government plans to introduce more laws to tackle
organized crime and gang violence, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said
Saturday in Kelowna.

However, he acknowledged the minority Conservative government won't
get the laws passed without the support of the opposition parties,
which Nicholson suggested have been lukewarm on new crime-fighting
initiatives.

"I'm hoping these born-again crime fighters from the other parties are
going to give us their support," Nicholson said in an interview.

He said the Liberals and New Democrats tend to endorse laws that
provide for longer sentences during election campaigns, but then
resist their introduction in the House of Commons.

"I need their help between elections, not just during the campaigns,"
said Nicholson, who was in Kelowna to address a fundraising dinner for
Kelowna-Lake Country MP Ron Cannan.

Although the Conservatives describe themselves as a law-and-order
government, B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal said last month he was
"disappointed" that Ottawa would not commit itself to swiftly making
certain legislative changes Oppal said were necessary to stem rampant
gang

violence in Metro Vancouver.

Among other things, Oppal has called for the federal wiretap law to be
changed to make it easier for police to intercept cellphone and other
electronic conversations between gang members, the elimination of a
provision that grants double credit for custodial time that was served
before a trial and for updating of disclosure laws so trials proceed
more quickly.

Nicholson said he "listened very closely" to what Oppal had to say,
but wouldn't indicate whether or not he supported such legislative
changes.

"I don't get ahead of myself with announcements," Nicholson
said.

However, he said addressing the surge in gang activity is a priority
for the government and referred to changes already introduced by the
Conservatives. The government last month proposed changes to the
Criminal Code to give mandatory minimum sentences to drug traffickers
who are linked to gangs.

As well, all gang-related murder cases would be prosecuted as
first-degree, people convicted of running a marijuana operation with
more than 500 plants would face a minimum of two years in jail, and
those who exported or imported drugs would face longer sentences.

The legal changes are not designed to target people who "take a toke
on a Saturday night," Nicholson said, though he added the government
would not be taking any steps toward the legalization of marijuana.

The Conservatives claim their approach is not to punish those who are
addicted to drugs, saying addicts can choose drug courts and treatment
over jail.

While criminologists often say tougher laws are not, in and of
themselves, sufficient for reducing crime, Nicholson said he believes
longer sentences do achieve important results in sending the message
that crime will not be tolerated.

"I have heard from people in law enforcement who say that if you get
some of these people off the streets, you can break up gang activity,"
he said, "and there are fewer victims as well."