SOLICITOR GENERAL TO REVIEW MARIJUANA GROW OP PENALTIES

Canada's top law enforcement official says he'll explore whether there
should be stiffer penalties for people who start marijuana grow operations.

Federal Solicitor General Wayne Easter visited Surrey Wednesday to get a
first-hand look at the city's increasing problem with marijuana grow
operations.

The Leader revealed March 5 that as many as 4,500 grow operations exist in
Surrey, a figure that represents about six per cent of the city's households.

Surrey Coun. Dianne Watts said criminals are attracted to the province
because of the "lax" penalties regarding marijuana grow operations.

Easter, who was here to see the situation "first-hand" said that his Surrey
RCMP hosts made a compelling argument for stronger justice measures.

"What I want to determine is just how are the penalties being enforced,"
Easter said. "What is the sentencing on marijuana grow operations? So what
will the facts show when we look at what's going through the court system,
on whether the penalties have been there and I will certainly look at that
at a future date."

He said that it was made clear to him during his visit that local RCMP
officers are frustrated with the revolving door at the courthouse.

He said it was apparent to him after his visit that people who enforce the
law feel "there should be a very heavy price paid for being involved in
this kind of serious crime.

"I want to compare notes on what kind of penalties the courts are in fact
issuing," Easter said. "Are the penalties being enforced as outlined in the
law?"

He discounted the notion of giving local law enforcement the proceeds of crime.

"I don't think we want to find ourselves in a situation where we're
depending on the proceeds of crime to look after the costs of law
enforcement, it's a bigger issue than that," Easter said to a small group
of reporters at Whalley's community policing office. "We have been making
progress in (the law enforcement) area, we've increased the funding for
both organized crime and national security issues in budget 2001.

"There's always more that can be done, not just on a proceeds of crime issue."

He wants to bring back to Ottawa a plan that will see local marijuana grow
operations not only lessened, but "eventually booted out of existence."

Surrey RCMP Const. Tim Shields said later that Easter didn't appear
surprised by anything he'd learned during the visit. "He has his ear to the
ground, this wasn't a big surprise, but it's good he could see it first
hand," Shields said, who described Surrey's grow op problem as typical of
the region. "We do have a huge epidemic of marijuana grow operations in
Greater Vancouver."