SENATORS 'DEAD WRONG' ON PASSIVE BILL C-15: FAST

The possible legislative removal of mandatory minimum prison sentences
for people caught running marijuana grow-ops of 200 plants or less
will not cause a proliferation of 199-plant grows, according to police.

Conservative MP for Abbotsford Ed Fast has accused the
Liberal-dominated senate of being "soft on crime," after tough
provisions to the Conservative government's drug-crime bill C-15 have
been "watered down" as the legislation passes through the governing
body.

The Conservative government's legislation was written to impose
minimum sentences of six months to three years in prison for those
operating grow-ops of 200 plants or less and criminals who produce and
traffic drugs where aggravating factors are present.

Those factors include the involvement of violence or weapons, drugs
being sold to children or in areas frequented by children, and where
organized crime is involved.

"What they're saying is that commercial grow-ops of 200 plants don't
pose a risk to our communities," said Fast.

"They are dead wrong. Abbotsford residents will be furious when they
realize that unelected and unaccountable Liberal senators have
completely disregarded the drug-related violence and gang activity
that has infected Fraser Valley communities."

Const. Paul Dhillon with the Abbotsford Police Drug Squad said
criminals and organized crime sell drugs to make money, and it won't
matter to them if there is a mandatory prison sentence for 200 plants
or 50 plants.

"Grow-ops are motivated by money, greed . . . [criminals] will
continue with business as usual in my opinion," said Dhillon.

"If you tell me [the government] legislates 200 plants and above and
you go to jail, will guys start staying at 199? I don't think so."

Dhillon conceded that grow-ops are almost exclusively the domain of
organized crime.

Starting a grow is expensive and you need connections to move the
weed.

"I don't think they [senators] know how far gone it is, and the
severity or the impact it has in this area.

"People get killed for marijuana all the time, drive-by shootings,
it's big money," said Dhillon.