In responding to Russell Barth's "Tory drug policy 'counterproductive" (Letters, The Chief, Dec. 10), I have to ask, who are you going to believe - a licensed drug user in Nepean, Ont., or the long list of people who support Bill C-475, the Private Member's Bill I introduced in the House of Commons which, for the first time in this session, attracted unanimous support of all MPs who voted? The list of supporters includes the District of Squamish, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, Chief Gibby Jacob of the Squamish Nation, Chief Constable of the West Vancouver Police Department, the Association of British Columbia Police Chiefs, the Office of the Solicitor General of British Columbia, North Shore Substance Abuse Working Group (made up of councilors from the Municipality of West Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, City of North Vancouver and Municipality of Bowen Island), the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Bowen Island Orc! hard Treatment Centre, and Crystal Meth Society of British Columbia? [continues 138 words]
A story that recently broke concerning an ecstasy lab on Vancouver's North Shore highlighted the need for my private member's bill to pass the Senate. Bill C-475 would create a new offence that would squarely capture the type of unacceptable behaviour conducted by those who create ecstasy or crystal meth in our neighbourhood backyards and basements. My efforts to get the law passed include ongoing discussions with the Senators in whose hands the bill now sits, after it received unanimous support in the House of Commons on June 9, 2010. We learned recently that Larry Campbell, the Liberal Senator who championed drug reform as former Mayor of Vancouver, will lead the way when discussion of Bill C-475 resumes. [continues 218 words]
Editor, A story that recently broke concerning an ecstasy lab on Vancouver's North Shore highlighted the need for my Private Member's Bill to pass the Senate. Bill C-475 would create a new offence that would squarely capture the type of unacceptable behaviour conducted by those who create ecstasy or crystal meth in our neighbourhood backyards and basements. My efforts to get the law passed include ongoing discussions with the senators in whose hands the Bill now sits, after it received unanimous support in the House of Commons on June 9, 2010. We learned recently that Larry Campbell, the Liberal senator who championed drug reform as former mayor of Vancouver, will lead when discussion of Bill C-475 resumes. [continues 204 words]
G.D Maxwell indulged in some fancy phallic phraseology in his July 22 opinion ("I won't be sticking up for my member"), but failed to grasp why the Private Member's Bill I introduced has attracted overwhelming support from people of all political spectra. There is always a place for humour but not at the expense of what is at stake in this debate. Mr. Maxwell, the Bill creates new penalties for people who intend to manufacture crystal meth or ecstasy and who gather the ingredients of those substances. [continues 252 words]
Editor: Bill Forst appears to endorse my private member's bill, for which I'm grateful, but regrettably, he misconstrues the effect of proroguing ("Prorogue: not a simple recess," Coast Reporter letters, Jan. 22). As Mr. Forst says, Bill C-475 tackles crystal meth and ecstasy drugs and has attracted nationwide support from a vast array of people, including police and drug treatment experts, the West Vancouver Police Department, national and provincial law enforcement officers, teachers and educators from across the riding, and numerous municipal councillors, mayors and regional district leaders. [continues 166 words]
Re: Letter to editor, January 15, 2010, "Convenient timing for proroguing Parliament" Bill Forst appears to endorse my private member's bill for which I'm grateful, but regrettably he misconstrues the effect of proroguing. As Mr. Forst says, the bill, C-475, tackles crystal meth and ecstasy drugs, and has attracted nationwide support, from a vast array of people: police and drug treatment experts on Bowen Island, the West Vancouver Police Department, national/provincial law enforcement officers, teachers and educators from across the riding that I represent, as well as numerous municipal councillors, mayors, regional district leaders. I am honoured to announce that the BC Association of Chiefs recently passed a motion in support of this bill. Happily, the other federal parties appeared to also support the bill, by their initial comments, when I introduced the Bill in the House last November. [continues 177 words]
I was amazed at the courage of many of the people who testified before hearings of the Justice and Human Rights Committee in Vancouver on April 30. The committee of MPs which represented all four parties, heard from local mayors, law enforcement officials, victims of crime and self-confessed criminals. The committee learned of the tremendous toll that gang violence is taking on the Lower Mainland, in terms of murder and mayhem committed against innocent victims ["Drug policy ineffective," December 5, 2007]. We learned of the massive economic cost required by increasing law enforcement measures. It was sobering to learn of the sophistication of gangs, their international reach and the insidious ways in which they undermine our social norms and prey upon our youth. [continues 230 words]
