DRUG COURIER WARNS OTHERS NOT TO MAKE HIS MISTAKE

Editor:

My name is Calvin Meier and many of you have read about the recent police
drug raid that has put my family in a shameful position.

The reason I am writing this is not for gratitude, remorse, forgiveness or
pity, but to explain why people do the things they do. Since I was seven
years old, I've been brought up by a single mother who wanted nothing more
than to see me succeed in life and has done everything in her power to make
my dreams come true.

As we all know, Ladner and Tsawwassen have been coke towns since who knows
when. When I entered high school in Ladner, I became friends with a group
of people that liked to party. As time went on, my friends and I became
more involved with drinking and, as most of you know, cocaine goes hand in
hand with alcohol.

Growing up without a father in my life was hard and I could sit here and
blame my misfortune on that, but I won't. Even though parents have a huge
impact on how their children grow up, it all comes down to the choices the
individual makes.

Anyway, back to why we do what we do. Some people react to peer pressure
more than others. Some people follow others to be cool and fit in when you
are in high school. This is in some way understandable because it's become
such a judgmental place.

After high school, if you still fall into these categories, you really need
to grow up. As for me, I am a BCIT grad times two who was recently laid off
due to a shortage of mechanics work during the winter.

The day I left I applied for EI, but two months of waiting for a payment
left me broke and getting phone calls saying my 2004 motorcycle would be
seized if I didn't make the payments. Throughout those two months, I heard
my mom say over and over, "If you need money, ask and you can pay it back
when you receive your benefits."

Being 21 and arrogant, I felt embarrassed and ashamed to ask my mom for
money. I was only to sell long enough to make the now three outstanding
payments on my bike.

Now most of you are probably thinking: Why not get a job? And you're
probably right. At the time, all I was thinking was why work for a month
when I could make the same amount of money in a week?

Well, I can tell you, you were right. One-and-a-half days into my drug
courier job, I was taken down by police like a calf at a rodeo show. The
thing that I regret the most is that 20 minutes before I was taken down, I
asked my best buddy to come and meet me for coffee.

Because I was waiting in the truck with him, he got taken down and now
faces a trafficking charge as well. For this I express a special apology to
his parents, who over the last three years have done nothing but treat me
as part of their family.

While I was waiting to be transported to the Ladner holding cell, one of
the undercover officers said something to me that made me realize what I
had done and where my life could have ended up if I didn't get caught. He
said, "What would you do if you found out someone was selling drugs to your
son or daughter?"

I turned, and without a moment of hesitation, said, "He would be lucky if
he made it out of the hospital alive." Since then I have thought more
extensively about that and I assure you I meant it.

There are so many other things teens are dealing with these days they don't
need the added pressure of drugs. So on that note, I would also like to
apologize to the parents of the teens I sold to and reassure you that this
is one person you don't have to worry about selling to your kids ever again.

It's funny how people always say a mother knows best. I have never really
believed that until now. My mom always told me if you do something unjust,
you will get caught. I'd give anything to go back to before this all
happened and to have actually taken her advice.

To the people who are thinking about taking up trafficking, don't do it!
You might think the way I did, that you'll never get caught. If you don't
listen to your parents, listen to me. You will get caught. Maybe not today,
maybe not tomorrow, but you will get caught.

And trust me, it's not worth the look of disappointment you'll get from
your friends and family when you're staring at them through a one-inch
piece of glass and all you want to do is hug them, but you can't.

I was told some people belong in jail and others just make mistakes. This
was the biggest, stupidest mistake I ever made, but the main thing is that
I have learned from it, picked up the pieces and am again walking down the
right path.

Calvin Meier