64M PLAN TARGETS DRUG TRADE, ADDICTION

Anti-Crime Efforts Include Funding For Internet Safety, Firearm
Screening

OTTAWA-The federal government will spend $64 million over the next
two years on a national anti-drug strategy as part of its efforts to
combat gang-related crime, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says.

The strategy will provide funding for law enforcement, prevention and
treatment.

Additional programs in the budget aim to improve the screening for
possessing firearms, protect children from the "heinous crimes" of
Internet luring and trafficking of children, and investigate
white-collar crime.

"Many serious crimes link back to the drug trade," Flaherty said in
his budget speech. "Grow-op or meth labs are being found in
residential neighbourhoods. Gangs distribute those drugs. Then
innocent people get hurt as a result of gang warfare. That's
unacceptable."

The budget provides some $21.6 million - part of the $64 million -
over two years to support law enforcement in combating the illegal
drug trade.

"Officers will also be able to tackle the organized crime elements
behind (the drug trade), including gangs, thereby stemming the supply
of illicit drugs," the budget document says.

The government plan calls for police to further target
marijuana-growing operations and clandestine methamphetamine labs and
gangs, and it aims to improve the ability of the criminal justice
system to investigate and prosecute offenders.

Almost half of the money - $32.2 million - will go toward
improving treatment services for drug abuse, including new treatments
for crystal methamphetamine use.

About $10 million will be directed over the next two years to
implement a national drug-prevention campaign aimed at young people
and their parents.

The anti-drug strategy builds on existing programs and initiatives of
$385 million per year, the budget document says.

In other initiatives, Flaherty said the budget is providing $6 million
a year to protect our "most precious asset - our children - from
online exploitation and to assist investigators in suspected cases of
human trafficking."

The budget also provides an additional $14.2 million over two years to
improve screening for first-time firearm licence applicants.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service, responsible for protecting
national security, received an additional $80 million over the next
two years "to operate more effectively within the post 9/11
environment."