LETTER OF THE WEEK

HARPER SAYS TO LOCK 'EM UP!

By Cameron Wigmore

Editor:

I'd like to give thanks to the Harper government for a new 'war'.

Like in the USA where the 'war on drugs' has been ongoing for
decades, this Canadian effort will likely create a few jobs in the
areas of law enforcement. We will, over the long term, likely need
to build more jails ( as they have needed to do in the USA ) in order
to house non-violent offenders, and our recently announced federal
tax surplus will probably help to pay for this ongoing cost. Never
mind that incarceration will cost more than rehabilitation;
Mr. Harper clearly believes that the jobs created are more important
than the negative costs to our society. These fellow Canadians -
these neighbours, coworkers, family and friends of ours - they're
only addicts after all, right? Mr. Harper says we should lock 'em up!

Treatment and rehabilitation sounds too 'nice' for Harper
government's 'every man for himself' ideology. Although treatment and
rehabilitation are proven to be effective, long term incarceration
sounds braver & more prideful. Thank you, Mr. Harper for choosing to
charge into a war on drugs in Canada, something the USA has already
failed to win.

I am a recovered addict with seven years clean & sober. I've just
brought my family to Nanaimo, and soon we'll be purchasing a house.
After using drugs for nearly a decade, I managed to make it out of
active addiction, disease free and with no criminal record, and this
is largely due to the community support and addiction recovery
services that were available to me prior to getting clean. I'm not
shy about this fact; I'm proud of the man I am, and I'm grateful to
be living in this country with a history of giving and sharing that
shows we take care of ours.

Thank you Mr. Harper for trying to take these opportunities away from
other Canadians.

Cameron Wigmore

Nanaimo

Pubdate: Fri, 12 Oct 2007

Source: Kootenay Western Star (CN BC)