Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jun 2009
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 The Windsor Star
Contact: http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Janice Tibbetts, Canwest News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

MANDATORY DRUG SENTENCES BILL HEADED FOR APPROVAL

Critics Say It Will Flood Prisons

(CNS) - A federal bill to impose automatic jail terms for drug 
crimes, for the first time in Canada, is headed for passage in the 
House of Commons in a final vote that could happen as early as today.

If the proposed legislation succeeds as anticipated, judges will be 
stripped of their discretion on whether to incarcerate drug 
traffickers, including offenders who grow and then sell as few as 
five marijuana plants.

The bill was lambasted by 13 of the 16 witnesses who appeared before 
the House of Commons justice committee during public hearings this spring.

Two American critics warned minimum mandatory sentences for drug 
crimes have flooded U.S. prisons in the last 25 years, with a 
disproportionate effect on drug addicts, the poor, the young, blacks 
and other minorities.

The U.S. surpasses every other country by far in incarceration rates, 
and yet the drug business there has flourished.

"This will take us down the road of the U.S. experience, which has 
been a failure," said New Democrat Libby Davies, whose party will 
vote against the bill in a third and final reading in the Commons, 
expected this week or next.

The Bloc Quebecois will also oppose it.

The Liberals, who teamed up with the Conservatives to usher the bill 
through the justice committee, will vote in favour, said MP Brian Murphy.

"These are trafficking offences, these are people who are in the 
commercial business of selling drugs," said Murphy. "If you're 
convicted of trafficking in drugs, I believe you should do the time 
that is indicated in this bill."

But Davies accused the Liberals of supporting a bill they know is bad 
because "they don't want to appear to be soft on crime."

The Conservatives have defended their proposals -- a centrepiece of 
the government's tough-on-crime agenda -- as a necessary tool to 
fight organized crime by sending the message that drug criminals will 
be treated harshly.

Several witnesses warned the justice committee the proposed 
legislation will fill jails with drug addicts rather than drug 
kingpins, who will continue to thrive, while small-time dealers are 
knocked out of commission.
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