MARIJUANA MEMO HAS SOME FUMING

A memo from the police chief to members of city council has some in the
community complaining of possible racist undertones.

The memo, on the chief's letterhead, announces an upcoming presentation
about large marijuana-growing operations and includes the title "Asian Grow
Presentation."

"Isn't that kind of racist?" asked Jassy Narayan, project co-ordinator of
Onward Willow, which works closely with immigrants settling in Guelph.

"Why would they label one ethnic group on something like this when
marijuana has been in the country long before the Asian community?"

Narayan said if one makes assumptions about people based solely on their
ethnic background "then that's racism, plain and simple.

"To say it's an Asian problem is labelling an entire group as criminals."

Guelph Police Chief Rob Davis said the title of the memo came from his
officers' recent involvement with large indoor marijuana growing operations
in Guelph and surrounding areas.

"Every major grow operation that's been uncovered in the past year and a
half ... has been Asian growers," the chief said.

"That's where the name came from."

Davis said his drug officers routinely share information with police in
other jurisdictions and have found strong evidence to suggest many of the
large growing operations are connected.

"The information I have from the drug guys is it's clearly organized crime
that's behind it." The chief said the title of the memo is intended to
reflect that the operations are being run by members of Asian organized
crime rings, as opposed to other sectors of organized crime, such as the
Mafia or biker gangs.

"I don't think we're out of line identifying them as being linked to Asian
organized crime," the chief said, though he conceded by using the word
"Asian" on the memo "maybe .... we are unduly targeting one group."

Guelph probation officer Van Vu, who was born in Vietnam and came to Canada
in 1980, said with recent world events, "we have to be really careful about
putting labels on people."

Vu said the memo "is kind of upsetting because it targets all Asian
people," and is evidence "that we need to focus on the importance of
educating the public. We need to work together to stay away from these
types of labels.

"I'm proud to be Vietnamese and to have the opportunity to come to Canada,
get my education and become a citizen and give back to the community."

At the Guelph and District Multicultural Centre, director Pat Joannie said
the police memo does not fairly reflect who is truly behind the drug trade.

"They don't mention that about 85 per cent of the people who are buying the
drugs are white Anglo-Saxons," Joannie said. "They create the market."

She said the public perception most Asians are involved in illicit activity
is compounded by media reports, and said the police memo will not help.

"Can't they just discuss (marijuana) grow operations and leave the Asian
part out of it? Why do they have to include a specific group?

"Certain labels are just not necessary," Joannie said, adding she is
concerned they will cause citizens to be unduly suspicious of their
neighbours simply because of their ethnic origin.