SADDENED AND OUTRAGED BUT NOT SURPRISED

Crowfoot M.P. Kevin Sorenson says it was only a matter of time before a
tragedy of this magnitude struck our national police.

Horrified and sickened by the death of the four RCMP officers, Sorenson
said "the violence associated with the drug trade has steadily progressed
over the last few years, claiming the lives of innocent citizens, rival
gang members, individual police officers and now, almost an entire rural
detachment."

"I personally hold every user of this illegal drug responsible for the
death of these police officers," stated an angry Sorenson. "If there wasn't
such a demand for marijuana, especially because of the Liberal government's
lenient stand on cannabis, we wouldn't see such a proliferation of
dangerous grow operations. And if we had more police officers on the beat,
perhaps we could stop these operations before they grow so dangerously large."

Sorenson, as the Official Opposition Solicitor General Critic, repeatedly
called on the government to increase RCMP resources. In the wake of 9/11,
the Crowfoot M.P. questioned the Commissioner of the RCMP regarding the
lack of funding and personnel. Commissioner Zaccardelli, after openly
admitting that certain files including ones involving organized crime, were
being put on the "back burner" while the Force dealt with terrorism files,
patently responded "we can always use more."

"For the most part Zaccardelli appeared content with the numbers and with
the budget allocated to him by the government," stated Sorenson. The RCMP
Commissioner's assertion contradicted the Canadian Police Association's
figures, which showed that all police forces in Canada including the RCMP
were in desperate need of more officers to combat crime, especially
organized crime and terrorism. Sorenson was quick to point this out and he
was quick to call on the Solicitor General to better resource and equip our
national police force.

Sorenson concluded "this is a national tragedy and one deserving of all
Canadians' respect and sympathies. My condolences and prayers go out to the
family, friends and colleagues of these officers killed in the line of duty."