Pubdate: Thu, 07 Aug 2008
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2008 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/info/letters/index.html
Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Mary Agnes Welch

PM TOUTS ANTI-DRUG PLAN

But Won't Comment On Recent Violence

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, usually quick to trumpet his party's 
tough-on-crime platform, instead touted a new government television 
commercial during a pitstop in Winnipeg Wednesday, and made no 
mention of Manitoba's string of summertime violence.

In brief remarks to the media prior to a closed-door meeting, Harper 
trumpeted his government's anti-drug strategy and a new public 
service announcement aimed at parents. He said drug use among young 
people is a concern for him as prime minister and as a parent.

"It's a very big problem everywhere in this country," he said. "We've 
got to sensitize people and we've got to get parents educated."

Harper arrived in town Tuesday evening to attend Folklorama and for a 
round-table discussion Wednesday morning with about 10 community 
leaders, parents and teachers at the Winakwa community club in Windsor Park.

That's in the heart of the St. Boniface riding that the Tories are 
targeting in the next election. They hope Winnipeg Police Patrol Sgt. 
and former police spokesperson Shelly Glover will unseat Liberal MP 
Raymond Simard in the riding that has traditionally been solidly 
Liberal for 20 years. Glover was seated prominently at Harper's side 
during the round-table discussion.

Reporters were not allowed to ask Harper questions and he made no 
mention of the violence that has beset Manitoba in recent weeks, 
including the beheading death of Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus near 
Portage la Prairie last week, the police shooting of Craig McDougall 
last Saturday that has raised the ire of Aboriginal leaders, the 
Taser death of Michael Langan late last month and other recent murders.

Those incidents didn't come up during the closed-door meeting, either.

Harper's Tories have routinely cast themselves as the only party 
truly tough on crime. Just recently, the federal Conservatives touted 
their record cracking down on youth crime in another round of party 
flyers that appeared in mailboxes in several Winnipeg ridings, 
including Winnipeg Centre.

The flyers are part of a strategy that sees sitting Tory MPs, often 
from a faraway constituency, use their free mailing privileges to 
blanket target ridings with leaflets.

Paula Leach, president of the parents' association at Windsor 
Collegiate, said the round-table meeting was a good one and allowed 
parents and community leaders to describe some of the problems and 
offer some solutions.

They discussed the need for more treatment facilities for drug 
addicts and the need for more training for teachers so they can 
recognize the signs of drug abuse and educate students.

"I'm hopeful that some of what he learned first-hand he will take 
back to Ottawa and some good will come out of it," said Leach. "I 
felt he was genuinely interested."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart