PM NOT TALKING THE TALK ON CRIME

Prime Minister Paul Martin apologized to the father of a slain Mountie
for claiming to have had "long discussions" with him about getting
tough on criminals.

Martin called Rev. Don Schiemann yesterday after being roasted in the
House by the Conservatives for offending the families of four RCMP
officers killed last March in Mayerthorpe, Alta., during question
period Monday with his claims of the lengthy talks.

"I certainly accepted his apology; it takes a big man to do that,"
Schiemann said.

Schiemann said he and the families of the other three Mounties took
offence to Martin's claims they had in-depth discussions about their
calls for a national drug strategy and mandatory minimum sentences for
gun-related crimes and authorized the Conservative Party to take the
PM to task over it.