RCMP TIME ON SULLIVAN DRUG REVIEW 'COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SPENT'

The fact that an RCMP investigation of Mayor Sam Sullivan's admission
to giving money to two addicts to buy drugs didn't result in criminal
charges shouldn't be perceived as the police going soft on drug probes.

That's the message from RCMP Sgt. John Ward, a media relations
officer with the force's B.C. headquarters in Vancouver. The RCMP
issued a statement June 1, saying no criminal charges would be laid
against Sullivan.

"This should never be taken as a carte blanche to traffic or to
possess drugs because that's not the case," Ward said. "It's a very
old matter and we don't condone the trafficking of drugs and we would
actively pursue any investigation that would indicate that there's
drug trafficking taking place. So it shouldn't be taken as a message."

The investigation was related to Sullivan's admission during the fall
election campaign that he gave money several years ago to two drug
addicts to buy drugs. Sullivan was a city councillor at the time.

He told the Courier during the election campaign that the money was
to help the addicts manage their illnesses, and to give him a better
perspective on addiction. Despite the controversy, he was elected
mayor in November.

With the mayor's chair came Sullivan's automatic appointment as chair
of the Vancouver Police Board. Police Chief Jamie Graham then
requested the RCMP review the two incidents related to Sullivan.

RCMP Insp. Paul Nadeau, operations officer for the Greater Vancouver
drug section, conducted the review and consulted with prosecutor Bob
Prior, director of federal prosecutions for B.C.

They concluded there would be no criminal charges because the drugs
in question were never found. As well, the two addicts were never
interviewed because one of them refused and the other couldn't be
found, Ward said.

No cost has been tallied for the review, but Ward said Nadeau's time
on the file could have been better spent on other matters.

"It's time that could have been spent elsewhere. But sometimes we
don't have a choice with some of the requests we get."

In a conference call from Ottawa with reporters June 1, Sullivan said
he regretted that the "resources of the police department and justice
department were taken away from their very important work" to conduct
the review.

"But I'm glad that the cloud that has hung over me for the last many
months has now left," said Sullivan, noting his actions have not
affected his relationship with Prime Minister Stephen Harper or
cabinet ministers. "I've been very honest and open with the public on
this issue. In fact, I have never hid anything from the public about
this issue."

Despite Sullivan's admissions-which he later detailed in a statement
given to the RCMP May 1-Prior said investigators couldn't prove that
drugs were involved.

"That's generally done through the seizing of an exhibit and the
submitting of that exhibit to the drug lab-and that simply didn't
exist here," he said. "That was the fundamental thing lacking in the case."

Even though Sullivan said in his statement that one of the addicts,
Shawn Millar, smoked crack in Sullivan's van, Prior said "the mere
belief by a person that it was in fact a drug isn't enough to make it illegal."

Added Prior: "I know in some ways only lawyers think this way at
times. It's simply the missing of that fundamental piece of evidence.
We have to prove it is in fact a drug as opposed to what [Sullivan]
believed or was told."

As for Sullivan's decision to give money to addicts, Prior pointed
out there is a difference between "judging people on their judgment
or morality versus, 'Can they be successfully prosecuted in court?'"

In his statement to police, Sullivan said he learned a lot from the
two addicts and the education has helped shaped his thinking and city policy.

He now wants to set up a drug maintenance program for female sex
trade workers who have been unsuccessful in treatment programs.