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THE ISSUE
Canada has an enviable record as a remarkably peaceful and orderly society, even in our largest urban areas. Most Canadians believe that our safe streets and safe communities have been one of those special characteristics that define the Canadian way of life.
Unfortunately, these are not rights Canadians can take for granted. They are values that Canadians must fight to restore and preserve. A new Conservative government will fight the scourge of drugs in our cities and communities.
Parents are deeply concerned about the spread of drugs – including hard drugs – from inner cities to suburbs to even small, rural communities. Families and relatives have seen drug use spread to the neighbourhoods we live in.
Statistics Canada reports that the rate of drug incidents increased 11% in 2004. Cannabis possession incidents increased 15%. Cannabis cultivation cases – marijuana grow operations – have doubled from 3,400 incidents in 1994 to over 8,000 incidents last year. Cocaine-related incidents increased by 17% in 2004 to almost 17,000; heroin-related incidents were up 19% in 2004 to almost 800; and drug-importation offences were up 45% in 2004 to almost 1000.1
Marijuana grow ops, crack cocaine, and crystal meth labs – and the guns, theft, and violence that goes with them – have infiltrated not only inner cities, but suburban neighbourhoods, small towns, and native reserves.
It is time to take seriously the people who have been affected by drug crime and take positive action to do something about it.
Far from getting serious with drug crime, the Liberals have attempted to decriminalize marijuana, while the NDP and the Young Liberals have promoted outright legalization. One of Paul Martin’s new Liberal Senators, Larry Campbell, said that concerns about the crystal meth disaster were “garbage.”2 Another Liberal Senator, Terry Mercer, said laughingly, in reference to drug and prostitution laws, “We’re going to become a very big Holland here.”3
The criminal justice system under the Liberals has not responded to increasing drug crime. Justice Canada statistics show that less than half of drug traffickers go to jail, and the median prison sentence for traffickers is only 87 days.4
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler has resisted Conservative calls to bring in mandatory minimum prison sentences for serious drug offences. Cotler has repeatedly stated that he opposes these measures, which most police officers support, saying “Philosophically, I’ve never been in favour of it,”5 and that they are “neither a deterrent nor are they effective.”6
The families of the four brave RCMP officers who were killed by James Rozsko have called for action on drug offences, including mandatory minimum prison sentences for grow operators.
The Plan
The Liberal approach – denying the problem, making drugs easier to get, or taking phoney half measures – has failed.
A new Conservative government will implement a serious drug policy that combines prevention to keep youth and other vulnerable people off drugs, support for treatment, and tough law enforcement that will send drug dealers and drug producers to jail.
A Conservative government will:
- Impose mandatory minimum prison sentences of at least two years in prison for indictable offences such as trafficking, importing/exporting, or production of Schedule I drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or crystal meth. The mandatory prison sentences would also apply to the same offences involving more than 3 kilograms of marijuana or hashish (e.g., marijuana grow operations with more than 15 plants based on RCMP estimates of 200 grams per plant).7
- End conditional sentencing (house arrest) for all indictable drug offences.
- Increase fines for drug traffickers or producers to reflect the street value of drugs, with escalating fines for repeat offences.
- Prevent the decriminalization of marijuana.
- Make precursor chemicals of crystal meth harder to get. For example, medications containing pseudoephedrine would have to be placed behind pharmacy counters.
- Introduce a national drug strategy with particular emphasis on youth. This strategy will encompass all drugs, not just marijuana, in implementing a nationwide awareness campaign to dissuade young people from using drugs.
The Choice
If Canadians want to get drugs off our streets, away from our schools, and out of our neighbourhoods, we cannot turn a blind eye to the problem or rely on phony Liberal rhetoric without real action. This Liberal government is incapable of changing. It will not tackle lax drug laws – it has done the opposite.
If we want to take on the task of restoring the safe streets and safe communities that have so positively defined the Canadian way of life, then we need to change the government. Only a Conservative government will take the strong action needed to keep drugs out of our schools, neighbourhoods and communities. Only a Conservative government will undertake the task of restoring safe streets and safe communities that all Canadians want.
1. “Crime Statistics,” The Daily, Statistics Canada, July 21, 2005. http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/050721/d050721a.htm
2. CTV National News, October 15, 2005
3. Ottawa Citizen, March 3, 2005.
4. Nathalie Quan, “Drug Use and Offending,” Justice Canada, February, 2003. http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/rs/rep/qa/qa2002_2/qa2002_2_015.html
5. New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, December 2, 2004.
6. Vancouver Sun, August 12, 2005.
7. “Drug Situation in Canada - 2004,” Criminal Intelligence Directorate, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, September, 2005. http://www.rcmp.ca/crimint/drugs_2004_e.htm
