TRAP LAW CHANGES

OTTAWA -- Pot growers who rig deadly booby traps to protect their product
could soon face stiffer penalties.

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon introduced legislation yesterday aimed at
protecting firefighters and police officers from booby traps.

The devices are commonly set in marijuana growing operations or clandestine
drug labs to impede police or rival criminal gangs.

A proposed 10-year maximum sentence under the Criminal Code would jump to
14 years if an emergency worker is injured, or a life sentence if they are
killed.

Under current law, setting a trap nets a maximum five-year prison term.

Among other Criminal Code amendments tabled yesterday is a post-Sept. 11
clarification to authorize reasonable force to prevent criminal activity on
board an aircraft in flight.