LIBERAL PLAN FOR CRYSTAL METH ONLY WINDOW DRESSING

Myron Thompson, Member of Parliament for Wild Rose says that the latest
Liberal strategy aimed at stemming the increasing abuse of crystal meth
amounts to little more than window dressing. Earlier this month, the Liberal
government announced that it had moved the drug methamphetamine (crystal
meth) to Schedule 1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which
provides access to the highest maximum penalties.

"This is like fighting a major disease with a band-aid. What are needed are
minimum prison sentences for criminals who are profiting by destroying the
lives of Canadians," said Thompson. "Courts are not even imposing the
current maximums, and we have seen consistently in the past that when
maximum sentences are raised, there is no corresponding increase in
penalties."

Thompson added that police have been warning federal and provincial
governments for years about the dangers of this drug and its growing
popularity. Crystal meth is not only highly addictive, but inexpensive and
easily accessible, so the potential for abuse is enormous.

"This is a drug that is especially popular in small rural communities in
Western Canada that are also facing severe shortages of RCMP officers,"
stated Thompson. "It has devastated entire communities in the United States
and now is threatening to do the same in Canada." Not surprisingly, because
it is easy to produce, the drug is also becoming popular with organized
crime groups. "Without a serious proposal like the Conservatives' idea for a
cohesive National Drug Strategy, Liberal band-aids will do nothing to
address the wide-ranging implications crystal meth has on health, society
and crime," concluded Thompson.