PREMIERS TO KEEP EYE ON OTTAWA

Drugs, Mad Cows On Agenda

Street drugs, mountain beetles and mad cows are on the official agenda
at the western premiers conference in Alberta this week.

But behind the scenes, the ongoing political turmoil in Ottawa is
expected to take centre stage.

Before departing for the conference in Lloydminster yesterday,
Manitoba Premier Gary Doer said it would be highly unlikely the
political junkies at the meeting won't spend a lot of time informally
debating the sponsorship scandal and whether there should be a federal
election this spring.

The premiers, from the four western provinces and the three
territories, represent all federal parties but the Bloc Quebecois.

Doer said he didn't think the uncertainty in Ottawa will affect the
discussions in Lloydminster.

"We want to work and get things done with the minority Parliament and
that's what we'll do," he said. The meeting will, however, be a little
more lacklustre than normal. Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, who was to
have chaired the meeting, bowed out this week due to a respiratory
infection and British Columbia's Gordon Campbell is in the middle of
an election campaign at home and will only be there today.

Doer said Campbell's absence Friday may mean Friday's meetings
accomplish little but he said there is a lot to discuss, including
developing a co-ordinated strategy on crystal meth.

Manitoba, B.C. and Alberta have announced they are looking at
legislation that would make it harder to buy products containing
ephedrine, the main ingredient in crystal meth, by restricting where
they can be sold or putting them behind the counter in stores.

But Doer said for legislation to have the best effect, all
jurisdictions need to go the same route.

Manitoba has also asked Ottawa to consider increasing maximum
sentences for production or trafficking of crystal meth from the
current 10 years to life in prison.

Tory leader Stuart Murray said Doer is going about this all wrong. "We
should be looking for a mandatory minimum sentence, not an increase in
the maximum sentence," he said.

"The maximum penalty can be raised but what does it help if no one
ever gets the maximum?" Murray asked.