MAYOR STANDING UP FOR CITIZENS

Editor: In recent weeks, we've read letters of criticism against
Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender for his testimony in Ottawa
regarding Bill C-15. This bill calls for mandatory minimum sentences
for drug-related crimes. While I respect the right of others to offer
opinions, I find comments by Mike Foster (The Times, Nov. 18) and
Travis Erbacher to be very troubling and irrational.

As a member of the Concerned Leaders for Justice Reform (CLJR), Mayor
Fassbender and others have shown excellent leadership in researching
and then advocating for various criminal justice initiatives. The
CLJR exists courtesy of MP Mark Warawa, with early input from MLAs
Rich Coleman and Mary Polak. MP Warawa faithfully participates in
each and every meeting.

I have intimate knowledge of Mayor Fassbender's work because I have
the pleasure of serving with him on the CLJR task force, which also
includes the Langley RCMP, Abbotsford Police, local fire chiefs, a
retired judge, Dr Darryl Plecas and others.

Plecas continues to provide us with a wealth of current research that
shows what is not effective in today's criminal justice system.
Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis, Langley RCMP Inspector Richard
Karnarski, Abbotsford Police Deputy Chief Rick Lucy and others
continue to provide specific anecdotal evidence as to what is
happening on the streets of our communities.

Erbacher says Mayor Fassbender "has never taken a serious look at the
benefits of legalization."

But Erbacher fails to mention the mounting social problems that his
shining example of the Netherlands has reaped as a result of just
"semi-legalization." The Netherlands continues to spend more money
per capita than most of its EU neighbours (excluding Sweden) to fund
law enforcement against drugs. Additionally, a boatload more dollars
help pay for the alarming health care costs associated with their
drug abuse problems.

Foster rants about "legislation which will cost us taxpayers millions
and imprison hundreds of people." But to be fair, he is unable to see
from his home in Quebec the gun fights on Langley streets that we and
Mayor Fassbender have seen as a result of allowing hardened criminals
to roam our streets freely and flaunt the spoils of their plunder.

The legalization of drugs is not going to happen in our lifetimes in
the United States. Perhaps 80 to 90 per cent of BC Bud (B.C.- grown
cannabis) is exported to the U.S.

It usually returns to Canada in the form of cocaine. Erbacher's
leftie teachers did not apparently fill him in on this fact.

The underground economy and violence as we know it will not one day
magically disappear because of political folly like drug
legalization. As a police officer, I've seen firsthand what drugs and
gangs do. In Canada, we have a growing number of violent offenders
directly linked to the drug business. They are resistant to any kind
of reformation or rehabilitation.

They start from a place of no remorse for their violent behaviour,
nor the young lives they prematurely ended. This segment of the
population must be incarcerated for the protection of our law-abiding
public. If this requires building more prisons, then it will be much
cheaper than social impacts created by the alternative.

Joe Zaccaria,

Walnut Grove