Hansard: Peter MacKay on Security, A Tour of Criminality, Responses and a PR Gift to the Hells

Yesterday, I forgot to publish this excerpt from Hansard, after I had put it on this website. Don't miss it; there are some shocking revelations.

Check the menu at left for the link.

The Minister couldn't adequately answer in 3 years let alone 3 minutes -- another Hansard "Best Seller"

or go to Hansard: 1725 to 1731 -- Mr. Peter MacKay




Heard on CFRB, Newstalk 1010 out of Toronto online

The name of the man who cared so little about his daughter as to throw her onto the 401 has been released. Check it out. CFRB has been covering parental use of children as weapons in their fights to hurt the other parent -- very good.

Update on the program yesterday on Cross Canada Checkup -- Apparently, I had listened too short a time and heard too few callers on the RCMP officers who were killed, Roszko, grow-ops and other aspects of the shooting. In writing without having heard the whole program, I erred. I wrote only on the basis of what I had heard at that point, which, at that time, appeared one-sided. Someone else told me it was more balanced than I thought.



Roszko, the killing, marijuana and more

As for the shooting to death of four young RCMP officers, the latest reports inform us that there were only 20 or so marijuana plants and that the terrible destruction of four young lives started with a violent, cop-hating nut-case and his relatively new truck, a dent, a dispute over it, and what should have been a simple repossession.

A couple of pounds of marijuana were found in bags, according to an article I read this morning; I don't know whether that is enough to sell to a gang who will traffick an illegal product. It still remains a fact that police must go into potentially dangerous situations and, increasingly, that includes booby-trapped and otherwise rigged-to-hurt-intruders grow-ops. Of greater significance is that the man in question, Roszko was a violent who possessed a high powered gun and the gun registry did not prevent this. His type do not bother with such niceties. He had spent little if any time in jail, whatever his activities whish have been reported to include homosexual pedophilia, and he had not been committed to an institution although most interviewed agreed he was a danger and a nut case in describing him as frightening members of his community and violent; yet he was on the streets.

It was an ambush -- RCMP MASSACRE SOURCE CLAIMS ONE MOUNTIE WAS UNARMED Mike D'Amour, Sun Media, Mar. 6, 05

MOUNTIES YESTERDAY confirmed that killer James Roszko had lain in wait before opening fire on officers with a high-powered rifle. And while Mounties in Mayerthorpe, Alta., have said repeatedly the four officers who were slain in an ambush were well-prepared, a Sun source claims at least one wasn't wearing an armoured vest and wasn't even armed when he was murdered.

The source identified that officer as Mayerthorpe Const. Peter Schiemann who -- along with Consts. Anthony Gordon, Leo Johnston and Brock Myrol -- was gunned down in cold blood after being ambushed by Roszko, 46.

[. . . . ] Roszko said his son had a long history of marijuana use although he never knew if he was growing it.

"The first time we caught Jim with marijuana he was hiding it under his mattress when he was 13," Roszko said. "I'm sure he spent a lot of his time all doped up." [. . . . ]

Other articles on this website:

Opening unhealed wounds
Grief turns into anger
Men of family, faith
Widow's cry: 'Leo deserved to live'
'We all feel it,' cop says



50-90% crosses border

Violent New Front in Drug War Opens on the Canadian Border -- A potent form of marijuana from Canada has become the center of an increasingly violent cultivation and smuggling industry. Sarah Kershaw, Mar. 5, 05

SEATTLE, March 2 - The drugs move across the Canadian border inside huge tractor-trailer rigs, pounds and pounds stashed in drums of frozen raspberries, tucked in shipments of crushed glass, wood chips and sawdust, or crammed into hollowed-out logs, in secret compartments that agents refer to as "coffins."

Kayakers paddle them south from British Columbia across the freezing bays of America's northwest corner, and well-paid couriers carry up to 100 pounds at a time in makeshift backpacks, hiking eight hours over the rugged mountainous terrain that forms part of the border between the United States and Canada. Small planes drop them onto raspberry fields and dairy farms in hockey bags equipped with avalanche beacons to alert traffickers that the drugs have landed.

The contraband is called B.C. bud, a highly potent form of marijuana named for the Canadian province where it is grown, and it has become the center of what law enforcement officials say is an increasingly violent $7 billion cultivation and smuggling industry.

[. . . . ] This new wave of drug trafficking, with Northwest Washington and Seattle a major transit point, comes as an enormous challenge to United States law enforcement agents stationed along the often invisible northern border. They are already dealing with the threat of terrorism, the flow of immigrants and new human smuggling operations - some run by some of the Canadian criminal organizations that move the marijuana south and cash, cocaine and guns north, American and Canadian law enforcement officials say.

[. . . . ] In British Columbia, a once-quiet province in a country that has long enjoyed a low crime rate, the murder rate has soared in the past two years, Canadian officials say, because of killings linked to warring drug gangs. [. . . . ]

This is a lengthy article worth reading.




More Seek Help for Marijuana Addiction Kevin Freking, AP, Mar 4, 05

WASHINGTON Mar 4, 2005 — Treatment rates for marijuana nearly tripled between 1992 and 2002, the government says, attributing the increase to greater use and potency.

This report is a wake-up call for parents that marijuana is not a soft drug," said Tom Riley, a spokesman for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. "It's a much bigger part of the addiction problem than is generally understood." [. . . . ]

More seek help for pot addiction -- Admission rates for treatment nearly triple, government says AP, Mar. 4, 05

WASHINGTON - The admission rate for those who seek treatment for marijuana use nearly tripled between 1992 and 2002, according to the latest data compiled by the federal government.

The numbers released Friday reflect a growing use of marijuana in the 1990s and an increase in the potency of marijuana, said Tom Riley, a spokesman for the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy.

[. . . . ] The study on treatment rates was conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, [. . . . ]

i-Newswire, 2005-03-06

[. . . . ] Those pushing for its legalization dismiss the report saying that those seeking treatment for marijuana were only doing so to avoid prison and that the increase is in fact in marijuana related arrests not in those seeking help by themselves.[. . . . ]

Province declares war on gangsters March 6, 2005, Mike D'Amour, Calgary Sun

Alberta's top cop said he's not in a battle -- he's formally declaring long-term war on the province's gangsters. Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko said enough is enough, and he's called a meeting for all Alberta police chiefs to meet him in Edmonton for a discussion about issues related to gang violence.

"It's a strategy session to look at shootings and stabbings," Cenaiko said.

"These gang members have no conscience. I mean they commit offences right in front of other citizens," he said.

"Our Number One priority for the next three years is to target organized criminals and the violent crimes they commit." [. . . . ]

RCMP port probe findings a PR win for Hells Angels Mike Howell, Staff writer

The Hells Angels motorcycle club doesn't control the Vancouver port or its unions, despite public and "police universe" perceptions to the contrary, says a high-ranking RCMP inspector.

Insp. Doug Kiloh, the major case manager for marine security in Vancouver, said his team of investigators reached the conclusion within the last year. The admission, a major public relations victory for the Hells Angels, is based on an investigation to "confirm or refute" the perception the club is running the port, Kiloh said.

[. . . . ] In March 2002, a Senate committee recommended a public inquiry be struck to study serious security failings at the Vancouver port and other Canadian ports.

[. . . . ] "The police have made a concerted effort to try to interfere in jobs and businesses of Hells Angels by going to their customers or suppliers and giving them that information-suggesting to them that they're dealing with organized crime."

[. . . . ]

Search: Rick Ciarniello, only two members

Put those who have the money to hire several high powered lawyers against those on the side of the law without such resources and who wins? I suspect that this article does not tell the whole story. Is it lack of convictions? Think of this particular motorcycle gang's activities in Quebec -- the killings, Mom Boucher. Do you really believe this gang is uninvolved at the ports?



The U.S. is well aware of the marijuana situation in Canada. Considering that so much marijuana is exported, they are concerned because of the increase in violence and that, if drugs can easily get through, so can terrorists. This will be on the front burner. However, Canadian politicians will say it's a sad event and do nothing -- unless Canadians call their politicians and say enough is enough. Enough talk and more action. Plug the holes.

The politicians will simply do nothing unless Canadians send them enough feedback.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/senmemb/house/members/CurrentMemberList.asp?Language=E&Parl=38&Ses=1&Sect=hoccur&Order=ProvinceName

Emails can be sent to the MP's (just click their names and their email addresses will come up.)

Canadians may now express their condolences here:

http://rcmp-grc.ca/index_e.htm

RCMP: scroll down to condolence messages




Grit delegates back hookers not hookahs Mar. 6, 05, Stephanie Rubec, Ottawa Bureau

OTTAWA -- Liberals side-stepped a convention showdown on legalizing marijuana, opting instead to push towards the legalization of prostitution and endorsed gay marriage. Grits, gathered to debate policy meant to set the tone for the next federal election, kept their debate over stiffer sentences for marijuana grow operators and legalizing pot to a workshop.

About 600 Liberals supported both marijuana resolutions, but when forced to pick a favourite they opted to push the federal government to review the criminal-code section which makes prostitution illegal, a choice overwhelmingly backed by delegates. [. . . . ]

Search: Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, red light district

Apparently, this is indicative of many Liberals' thinking -- and this convention will gain the gay and hooker vote -- and maybe a few freebies at Ottawa establishments, the ones Joey Slinger mentioned in "Let your fingers do the walking" . . . . through Ottawa's yellow pages.

Did anyone at the convention think to mention the tie-in between drugs like heroin and hookerdom? Between human trafficking in women and brothels or sex shows in bars and back rooms?