FEDS ACTING LIKE PRESIDENT BUSH

Editor:

Re: Insite supervised injection site

This week, I heard the frustrating and worrisome news that the
Conservative federal government will appeal the B.C. Court of Appeal
decision in the (Vancouver) Insite case to the Supreme Court of Canada.

For whatever reason, I had the impression that Justice Minister Rob
Nicholson was one of Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper's more pragmatic
ministers, less inclined to pursue this issue than was former Health
Minister Tony Clement, a wild-eyed ideologue if ever there was one. So
this is a very unfortunate and extremely troubling
development.

Furthermore, given the Conservative government's adamantine refusal to
budge, even after the Supreme Court had ruled that Omar Khadr's rights
had been violated, one wonders how they would respond to a defeat at
Supreme Court in this matter?

Wouldn't they just pass a new federal statute specifically declaring
any facility like this a criminal activity, using their newly
appointed Senate majority?

All three opposition parties should issue clear statements condemning
this decision, using similar language to drive home the point that
they are united on this matter.

They should demand a complete accounting of all the federal
government's legal costs, both those spent to this point and those
projected, and they should request similar information from the
Vancouver-Coastal Health Authority and the Government of British Columbia.

I recall asking our local Conservative MP Randy Kamp at an
all-candidate's meeting during the 2005/06 federal general election if
it was true that his party's drug policies were inspired by John P.
Walters, the director of the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy under President George W. Bush.

Kamp flatly denied it, and asked skeptically why anyone might think
that.

Well, I guess in the next election I can ask my question
again.

Rodney Smelser,

Maple Ridge