DEPUTY PM FEARMONGERING

Deputy prime MinisterAnne McLellan says we need to spend more time
looking at the psychological preparedness of our people because an
emergency or a disaster can strike at any time."

It sounds like McLellan is getting her speeches written by the White
House. To me, her words translate into: Be afraid! Be very afraid!"
Where does McLellan suggest Canadians acquire the psychological
preparedness" for terror attacks?

Should we go on a trip to Iraq for some in-depth training?

Should Canadians go see a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a general
practitioner to deal with preparedness-deficiency"? McLellan also
said we need to increase border security, but offers no solid plan on how.

I would like to suggest that we end cannabis prohibition immediately,
which would deal a serious blow to the underground economy, and make
it much more difficult for terrorists" to operate. It would also free
up hundreds of police officers across the country currently wasting
their time on grow-op duty," and they could be put to work on the
borders, power plants, airports, subways, buses, and train stations
where they belong.

It would also save us roughly $2 billion annually on enforcement,
courts, and corrections on a prohibition policy that has failed
utterly. Regulating the production and sale of cannabis would create
thousands of jobs from coast to coast, and help Canadians earn an
estimated $3 billion in annual tax revenue that could be used to -
among other things - protect our safety.

Unfortunately, what our cynical government will probably implement is
more taxes, more cops, more raids, more jails, more courts, fewer
civil rights, and fewer civil liberties.

The US-led War On Terror" is very similar to the US-led War On
Drugs"; it was never meant to be won, it was meant to be continuous.

Russell Barth

Ottawa