HELPING troubled parents recognize the signals their children are giving them and to give them the help they need is the theme of a two-day workshop that's attracted more than 300 professionals from across the province. Organized by the Attachment Network, the workshop at the Holiday Inn Airport West has attracted teachers, counsellors, therapists, psychiatric nurses, welfare workers and other health care practitioners. The workshop is designed to help professionals show parents with backgrounds in addictions and violence how to become parents, said Yvette Preston, chairman of the Attachment Network. [continues 274 words]
But Teen Says He Didn't Know Police Involved Franco Atanasovic didn't take his teenage son out to the ball game when he wanted to spend some quality time together. Instead, the career criminal turned police agent told his boy to drop everything and meet him right away in the bathroom stall of a local fast-food joint. "Yes, I thought it was odd. But I didn't say anything. It was none of my business," the young man testified Thursday during a brief, but certainly memorable, court appearance. [continues 581 words]
IT'S an ideal way to write a column. I'm attending a medical conference while cruising the Caribbean sea. But don't think I'm goofing off. I'm spending long days listening to a variety of international speakers. But, as a former ship's surgeon, I also love being at sea. One speaker, Dr. George Carson, director of fetal medicine at the University of Regina, reported on the use of alcohol in pregnancy. Some authorities have a simple solution for the tragic habit of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Dr. Christine Lock, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of British Columbia, says it's a myth that only irresponsible derelict mothers cause serious birth defects. Her blunt message, "If we drink in pregnancy we place our children at risk." [continues 601 words]
Many farmers may be unaware that anhydrous ammonia is used in the production of crystal meth which is an illegal, highly addictive and dangerous drug. Thefts of anhydrous ammonia from farms and fertilizer dealerships are on the rise in Western Canada. Drug dealers only need small amounts of anhydrous ammonia to make crystal meth. Unsecured or unattended farm supplies are an easy target for such dealers. Thieves bleed off the fertilizer into empty barbecue propane tanks or other storage devices. It is unlikely a farmer or fertilizer dealer would be able to see the difference in the gauge on the tank because such small amounts are stolen but there are several things you can do to help prevent theft of this fertilizer for use in illegal drugs. [continues 318 words]
A 23-year-old man was shot within blocks of where a 21-year-old man was stabbed Saturday night, in two separate incidents that police said were likely gang-related. The shooting happened about half an hour before the stabbing, but police said Sunday they did not think the incidents were related. Police say they were called to the scene of the shooting around 11 p.m. after getting a report of shots fired near Central Park. They found the victim in the area of the park at Carlton Street and Cumberland Avenue. [continues 337 words]
A new liquor law aimed at preventing so-called "date rape drugs" from being slipped into drinks takes effect tomorrow, allowing bar patrons to protect their beverages when they go to the washroom. Charleswood MLA Myrna Driedger, a former nurse who introduced the law as a private member's bill last year, hopes the new rules will make it harder for would-be rapists to slip drugs into unattended drinks. Sexual predators who use debilitating drugs to take advantage of victims are a serious problem in this province, according to Driedger. [continues 316 words]
HELLS Angels member Ian Grant was caught on secret police surveillance making a series of profanity-laced threats that had officers worried about the safety of their undercover agent, jurors heard Thursday. The audio and video recordings were played in court and show Grant appearing to lose his patience with Franco Atanasovic about a $60,000 drug debt he allegedly owed from a previous deal that went bad. "What the (expletive) is going on here? What is this (expletive)?" an angry Grant demands during a March 29, 2005 meeting. [continues 439 words]
Re: Truly shameful, March 26. Let me get this straight -- your editorial board believes that Canada should legalize more aspects of paying for sexual services? I have also seen in your pages calls for the decriminalization of soft drugs. Do you ever stop to ask yourselves what this teaches the young people of our nation? Smoke pot? Not a big deal. Sell yourself for money? Not a big deal. They are already dealing with the pressures to try addictive designer drugs that make addicts with one hit as well as relaxed sexual mores that increase their exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. The last thing they need is the government in any way appearing to legitimize these pressures. And have no doubt, that is exactly what legislation of this kind would do. I recommend we put our money and efforts into trying to prevent people from using drugs and selling themselves for money -- rather than legitimizing these behaviours by making them appear to be "acceptable." Craig Hobson Winnipeg [end]
I appreciated Neal Boyd's column Rethinking the trade in sex and drugs, March 23. I have struggled with trying to find the best approach to the problems of prostitution and drugs, and found Boyd's concepts of "tiers of risk" sensible. It had not occurred to me that women who work the sex trade in massage parlours have a vastly better life than those who work the streets. Yet our present system predominantly targets those who are the most vulnerable, the street workers, and criminalizes them. It would make good sense to change our tactics and priorize the use of public resources to devise supports for street workers that are as effective as the ones for those who work in massage parlours. [continues 107 words]
Canadian Works For Israeli Pro-Pot Peace Party Canadian Adam Mann sees himself as an envoy for peace in the Middle East. But that may simply be a pipe dream. The 22-year-old University of Calgary political science student has recently been recruited by one of Israel's most unusual political parties to help gather Canadian support and know-how. This includes lobbying expertise in the last word in calming an unstable region -- pot. He has begun work as a representative of the Green Leaf Party of Israel, whose platform is largely built on the legalization of marijuana. The anti-drug law fights, and other issues, are very similar in both countries, party members say. [continues 346 words]
Our collective images of the sex trade are typically portraits of danger, misery and victimization -- and our collective images of drug addiction are often not much different: portraits of men and women in poor health, with life-threatening diseases, victimized by those who profit from the illicit nature of the trade, and committing crime to pay for their drugs. But the reality is more complex. In fact, both the trade in sex and the trade in illicit drugs have tiers of risk, and these tiers of risk produce both vastly different images and vastly different realities. The women who work in massage parlours and escort agencies are rarely the victims of violent crime; they are protected by credit cards, by the men who typically run such businesses, and by the easily identifiable names and locations of outcalls. [continues 728 words]
A former Bandidos associate who snitched on fellow members during a recent high-profile gang trial was rewarded for his work Monday with a reduced sentence and ticket to a new life. Jason Michel, 25, admitted to being one of several men involved in the February 2005 kidnapping and torture of a rival drug dealer. But he agreed to provide key evidence for the Crown against his co- accused in exchange for a joint-recommendation of time served in custody of just over two years. [continues 328 words]
Grilled About Long Criminal Record THE credibility of police agent Franco Atanasovic was put on trial Wednesday and resulted in some testy exchanges with the lawyer representing Hells Angel Ian Grant. Fireworks began immediately when Atanasovic was asked whether he was being honest when he picked up the Bible and swore an oath to tell the truth in court earlier this week. After Atanasovic insisted he was, defence lawyer Ian Garber questioned why anybody should believe a word he says. He noted Atanasovic made the same promise to police every time he gave a statement during a year-long undercover operation. [continues 244 words]
Police Informant Details Major Exchanges Career criminal Franco Atanasovic told jurors Tuesday how he carefully negotiated three major drug deals with Hells Angel Ian Grant -- and stole $5,000 in police money -- through a series of secret messages and meetings. At least Grant thought they were secret, since he had no idea Atanasovic was actually working as a police agent and wearing a hidden microphone as part of a major undercover sting operation. Grant was one of 15 people arrested in February 2006. He is the first to go on trial and has pleaded not guilty to nine charges including drug trafficking, extortion, proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal organization. [continues 589 words]
Emerges From Witness Protection Armed Officers Patrol Outside Court WEARING a crisp dark suit and a broad smile, career criminal-turned-police agent Franco Atanasovic emerged from witness protection Monday to testify against one of the Hells Angels members he double-crossed. Atanasovic appeared calm and relaxed -- even cracking a few jokes with the Crown -- during his much-anticipated first appearance on the witness stand. The scene outside court was much more tense, with a heavy presence of gun-toting police officers in the Law Courts halls and a metal detector set up outside the courtroom door. [continues 598 words]
RCMP Hosting Education Seminar on Deadly Drug Concerned residents of Teulon are taking a proactive stab at potential crystal meth problems in the area. At the request of Teulon Senior Resource and other concerned groups, Teulon RCMP are holding a public crystal meth education awareness session at the Teulon/Rockwood Hall at 7 p.m on March 21 and everyone is invited to attend. Sgt. Marc Samson of the RCMP drug unit in Winnipeg will be giving the presentation which will be similar to a session given last year at Teulon Collegiate and Teulon Elementary schools. [continues 311 words]
Confidential corrections department documents found in the home of Hells Angel Ian Grant were traced to two guards at Headingley Correctional Centre, a jury heard yesterday. Access to the documents -- which include profiles of several prison inmates and gang members -- was restricted to corrections, probation and police staff, said Claude McKnight, the jail's intelligence and preventative security officer. An analysis of time stamps on prisoner profile printouts linked them to two guards who were later fired, McKnight said. The guards have not been charged criminally but an investigation remains open. It remains unclear how the documents ended up in Grant's home. Jurors heard Monday that cops searching Grant's home uncovered a treasure trove of confidential police documents. Grant is one of three Hells Angels and 10 other suspects arrested in an undercover drug sting. [end]
Headingley Computers Source of Leak THE computers of two former Headingley Correctional Centre guards have been linked to a serious privacy breach that allowed a member of the Hells Angels to obtain top-secret intelligence on rival gang members, jurors heard Wednesday. Jurors were told an investigation was launched upon discovery of the documents, which had clearly been printed from Headingley computers and were time-stamped on the dates of May 21 and May 25, 2005. The documents include detailed profiles for nine people, including members of the Bandidos. There were also searches for several gang names, including Zig Zag Crew, Mad Cow, Cash Money Brothers and B-Siders which produced long lists of members, associates, enemies and intelligence. [continues 630 words]
City Hall Agrees to Extend Program THE cops-in-school program will be extended to the inner city and River Heights this fall and could find its way to many other schools across the city. Mayor Sam Katz and his executive committee agreed Wednesday to expand the school resource officer program to two inner-city schools and to four schools in River Heights. "We're happy and that's exactly what we wanted," said Tom Simms, an inner-city activist working with some of the groups. [continues 416 words]
ARE in-house cops the best way to curb crime and violence in our schools? The Winnipeg School Division thinks so. It wants to spend $258,000 to add three new officers to its schools. The division, which plans to use surplus funds to pay its third of the price, is hoping to share the annual cost with the city and the province. The cops would work out of three schools: two in the inner city and one in the south end. There are already three resource officers working in North End schools. [continues 580 words]
Inside Manitoba
