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US Worried About Drugs From Quebec
Pubdate: Thu, 26 May 2005
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2005 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Mike De Souza
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
U.S. WORRIED ABOUT DRUGS FROM QUEBEC
RCMP Officer Cites Trafficking Concerns. Criticizes Force's Closing Of 9
Detachments In Province, Shifting Resources From Border Area
U.S. law enforcement officials are starting to worry about an increase in
drug trafficking across the Quebec border, RCMP Staff Sgt. Gaetan Delisle
said yesterday at a meeting of provincial police unions.
"They are putting the emphasis on national security, and week after week
they react when they find a lot more substances like marijuana on routes
that are not guarded," said Delisle, president of the association
representing Mounties in Quebec.
"So, as you can imagine, this troubles them enormously."
Delisle criticized RCMP management over its decision in September to close
nine detachments in the province, moving officers to the remaining 17
offices. He said management is pulling RCMP resources away from borders
where Mounties could lend a hand to customs agents.
"There is no one patrolling (border areas) at this time," he said. "There
are units that intervene, but it is to gather or work on intelligence.
Patrols are no longer operating."
While Delisle suggests the borders are vulnerable to threats that are more
serious than marijuana, the RCMP has maintained its decision was designed
to improve services and allow the national police force to focus on
organized crime and terrorism.
The federal government has refused to intervene because the decision
followed consultations, taking into account that Quebec already has its own
police force, the Surete du Quebec, explained Alex Swann, spokesperson for
federal Public Safety Minister Anne McLellan. He said similar restructuring
occurred in Ontario because of the presence of Ontario Provincial Police.
Swann noted that RCMP management said it was prepared to review the changes
in Quebec if they are not successful.
"No one is saying marijuana isn't a problem," he said. "But we've increased
our efforts."
The RCMP's budget has increased to $2.8 billion from $1.8 billion since
1998, Swann said.
Conservative Party deputy leader Peter MacKay warned that the efforts
haven't impressed U.S. officials like Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
and New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who have expressed concerns about
Canadian security.
"The withdrawal of police support for our border agents leaves them
vulnerable, and leaves the country vulnerable, and makes no sense to me,
none whatsoever," MacKay said after a speech at the meeting.
He said Mounties should be in the rural areas where the marijuana growing
operations exist, to serve as a deterrent. "The case has been made clearly
that this decision should be revisited, and that these detachments should
remain open, and (McLellan) is simply, in my view, being reckless and
irresponsible."
Swann stressed that Canada is working closely with the Americans, who he
said have not expressed concerns about the detachments closing.
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