FINANCE MINISTER PUTS UP MORE CASH TO RETAIN 'SAFE, LAW-ABIDING SOCIETY'

OTTAWA -- Drug dealers, sexual predators, human traffickers and
white-collar criminals are singled out in yesterday's budget with
items the Conservatives can use to argue they remain tough on crime.

"Canada is admired the world over as a safe, law-abiding society,"
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said in the prepared text of his budget
speech to the House of Commons. "We must keep it that way."

The budget, which calls for a new national anti-drug strategy,
increases spending by $63.8-million over the next two years for
programs to fight the production of illegal drugs, prevent their use
through awareness campaigns, and provide treatment to addicts.

Ottawa currently spends $385-million a year on similar initiatives.

Of the new money, $21.6-million will go to "enhance the capacity" of
police, prosecutors and the courts to find and convict drug dealers
and the organized crime webs behind them. Another $10-million will
pay for a prevention campaign aimed at young people and their parents.

Substance abuse programs will get a $32.2-million boost, with some of
the money going toward researching treatment for those addicted to
crystal methamphetamine.

The RCMP will get an annual budget increase of $6-million to
"strengthen current activities" to "protect children from sexual
exploitation and trafficking." The force will be allowed to hire a
"senior expert adviser" to come up with a plan to step up the
Mounties' fight against white-collar crime.

Canada's spy agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, will
get an additional $80-million over two years to fight terrorism -- a
necessary increase for the agency "within the post 9/11 environment,"
the government says.

The multiple shootings at Montreal's Dawson College last year have
inspired the government to strengthen the screening of those applying
for firearms permits. Additional resources are aimed at ensuring that
20,000 first-time applicants will be interviewed, along with their
references, in an effort to keep guns from falling into the wrong hands.

It's a lot of smoke and mirrors. Mostly mirrors.

Joe Volpe, Toronto Liberal MP

It's Pretty Clear The Conservatives Don't Take Environmental
Protection Very Seriously And They Continue To Ignore Their
International Commitment On Tackling Climate Change.

Dale Marshall Of The David Suzuki Foundation.

$6,600 Estimated annual cost per patient to provide stress
counselling and social support at new military clinics to assist
1,500 soldiers and family members suffering from stress. $6-Million

Additional annual allocation to combat sexual exploitation of
children. $102-Million

Additional spending for federal prisons and correction programs.

Crime Prevention

A national anti-drug strategy, with investments in enforcement,
prevention and treatment, is one of the key elements of the
government's security measures. Funds will also be made available in
2007-2008 and 2008-2009 to better screen first-time firearm licence
applicants, to enhance the infrastructure of foreign missions, to
beef up national security, and to deal with a "more complex offender
population."

Combatting illicit drug production and distribution $22-million

Preventing illicit drug use $10-million

Treating illicit drug dependency $32-million

Firearms possession requirements $14-million

Mission security strategy $11-million

Canadian Security Intelligence Service $80-million

Correctional Service of Canada $106-million

Firefighters' training $1-million

Canadian Police Research Centre $10-million