KIEFER CALLS FOR HOME-GROW CRACKDOWN

City Councillor Karl Kiefer says every municipality in Waterloo Region must
take a stand against dangerous home-grow pot operations to save people from
being killed.

"It is a concern because people could die," he said.

On Monday night, city council will be voting on a motion brought forward by
Kiefer first introduced by Kitchener councillors last month, recommending
strict penalties against those who operate illegal pot-growing operations
out of their homes.

Police raids over the past year have shut down more than 60 pot-growing
operations across Waterloo Region. While most of them have been in
Kitchener, more than a half-dozen have occurred in Cambridge.

During most home-grow busts, it has been discovered the hydro-electricity
has been bypassed by wires crudely strewn together. They usually aren't
insulated properly and can be live.

This can cause fires in the home and pose a danger to surrounding houses in
the neighbourhood.

Also, if someone walks up to the hydro bypass area, the ground can be
electrified and the person could easily be shocked, especially if the
ground is wet. Waterloo councillors have endorsed a Kitchener motion
calling for a minimum of five years in jail for anyone caught growing
marijuana in a residence.

The city council meeting in Cambridge will be held at 46 Dickson St. It
starts at 7 p.m.

Delegations who want to speak to the home-grow issue can sign up with the
city clerk before the meeting starts. In its motion, Kitchener council
called on the provincial and federal governments to:

* Impose a mandatory five-year prison sentence on anybody convicted of
using a family home to cultivate marijuana.

* Maintain the criminalization of marijuana.

* Give more of the proceeds seized from home-grow operations to local
police to help them fight drugs.

* Consider giving fire prevention officials more power to inspect homes
that may pose a risk to their occupants and neighbours.

* Make illegal drugs, organized crime and drug abuse a topic of debate at
the next meeting of Canada's first ministers.

Kiefer said he hopes to to talk to Staff Sergeant Ray Massicotte of
Waterloo Regional Police's drug squad to get a better handle on how
widespread a problem home-grow operations are in Cambridge.