DRUG INFO SHARED IN MEXICO

Langley-Abbotsford MP Randy White is in Mexico this week, but its not for a
senator-style vacation.

White, the Alliance party's Solicitor General critic, is in Baja,
California to offer the Canadian perspective during a conference on the use
and trafficking of illegal drugs.

His trip comes as the MP this week had words of warning for Vancouver's
mayor-elect Larry Campbell on allowing "shooting galleries" - or safe
injection sites for intravenous drug addicts - in the city.

White has seen safe injection sites in Europe and said they are "nothing
but magnets for drug addicts from all over the country."

White has gone on record as supporting the establishment of detox and drug
rehabilitation centres in cities such as Vancouver or Abbotsford, instead
of safe injection sites.

He will join 200 law-makers from the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Columbia
and Honduras in the Baja conference, part of an international symposium on
crime, justice, terrorism and substance abuse.

Abbotsford's mayor-elect Mary Reeves expressed her personal opinion on the
issue, and said on Wednesday current policies seem to direct more money to
harm reduction, while money for detoxification and treatment has been taken
away. She is a supporter of programs that get addicts off their addictions,
but added even these seem to be growing and shorter - from a year down to
six weeks, which leaves addicts "extremely vulnerable."

She will be worn into office as mayor during council's inaugural meeting in
early December.

A council committee headed by Coun. Mark Warawa is seeking a location for a
bridge house (as proposed by the Abbotsford Salvation Army) that would help
recovering addicts integrate back into society.

During his visit, White will tour the Ensenada State Prison, which hosts a
Second Chance Program for drug addicted inmates. He said the program has a
success rate of 90 per cent in rehabilitating prisoners, 85 per cent of
which enter prison hooked on heroin.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what benefits can be brought back to our
country," the MP said this week. White estimated 80 per cent of inmates in
Canadian prisons have drug-related addictions.

The MP is part of a Commons committee studying the war on drugs, working
towards a National Drug Strategy.