TORY TASK FORCE SEEKS LOCAL INPUT ON CRIME

Conservative politicians brought their fight against crime to Brandon
yesterday, but it isn't clear if they grappled with the city's biggest issues.

No crime victims were at the invitation-only meeting yesterday, and the
city's gang problem and police budget woes weren't discussed at length.

"There was no specific discussion about Brandon's gang situation other than
the fact that there are some situations that involve gangs in Brandon,"
said Jim Flaherty, chairman of the Task Force on Safe Streets and Healthy
Communities, a travelling committee struck by the federal Tory party.

Guests included two members of the public, Mayor Dave Burgess, Brandon
School Division superintendent Donna Michaels, at least one Brandon Police
Service representative and various church members.

"Unfortunately, we can't invite everybody, but I do think we heard a very,
very good cross-section of what people are thinking and saying," said
Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Merv Tweed.

He said downtown crime is a concern along with the need for tougher
punishments and rehabilitation and prevention initiatives. "In my opinion,
I think part of it is the way people are dealt with in the criminal justice
system," Tweed said. "That was part of the story we heard today."

Flaherty, a Conservative member of the Ontario legislature, said Brandon's
gang problem was one of the reasons he put the city on a list of 20 stops
for the task force.

Meanwhile, the province's NDP-appointed organized crime fighter has delayed
a trip to the city. Bruce MacFarlane said he'd stop by Brandon in September
to talk about the city's street gang problem with RCMP and Brandon Police
Service officers.

A Manitoba Justice spokeswoman, however, said that trip has been
rescheduled to sometime in November.

Rising gang violence, crystal meth, and marijuana grow operations topped
the Tory's priority list when the cross-country tour was announced in
August. All are hot issues in Westman right now.

Recent assaults in Brandon have been linked to the Indian Posse street
gang, crystal meth may be to blame for the August death of a man said to
have IP ties, and the region was the site of the province's biggest and
second-biggest outdoor grow-op busts in the past two months.

Flaherty also said citizens have expressed the need for more officers on
the street. However, the police service's funding woes didn't come up at
yesterday's meeting.

In August, the force announced changes needed to address a $150,000
deficit. Four officers were shifted to patrol duty, but the president of
the police union said the force also planned to park squad cars to save on gas.

Flaherty said crystal meth and grow-ops were mentioned and it was suggested
the federal government take some control over the availability of crystal
meth ingredients, especially when they're bought in bulk.

"That was a very helpful suggestion that was made today."

Much of the meeting focused on youth, and Flaherty praised initiatives such
as the Brandon School Division's clothing policy. "It seems that some
serious progress has been made here that hasn't been made in other parts of
the country," he said.

The division has passed a dress code restricting clothing that may be
gang-related.

The task force's findings will form part of the Tory platform for the next
federal election.

Flaherty expects a final report by the end of the year.