Pubdate: Sun, 05 Mar 2006
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Russell Barth
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by MAP editor.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

LEGALIZATION IS HELPFUL

RE "Minister fears legal brothels, crime too cosy" (March 2): Canada's new 
justice minister could be the best friend that Canadian drug dealers and 
pimps ever had.

First, Vic Toews wants to impose mandatory minimum sentences for marijuana 
growers. All history, science, and common sense show that this will 
increase the profits of the dealers we don't catch, which will increase 
competition, and therefore increase gun violence. Apparently, Toews is a 
big fan of people like Pablo Escobar and Al Capone.

Now he thinks that taking the prostitution business out of the hands of 
criminal pimps -- and putting it into the hands of responsible citizens -- 
will increase crime? "I don't particularly think that legalization is 
helpful, other than strengthening the hands of organized crime," he said.

What a nincompoop! This man's puritanical ideology is blinding him to the 
scientific facts. How these backwards-thinking morons find their way out of 
their houses each day is a mystery to me.

Russell Barth

Ottawa

(Toews fears aren't entirely misplaced -- we gather other jurisdictions 
with legal brothels have encountered the problem of shady characters in the 
business)
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D