Pubdate: Tue, 9 Oct 2007 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1153/a02.html Author: Mike Anderson PM'S DRUG-WAR FUNDING A DROP IN THE BUCKET The $64 million for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's drug strategy is naught but a token drop in the bucket. It is not nearly enough to build even one reasonably sized correctional facility and pay for its annual operating costs. It is not nearly enough to increase enforcement to the point that it can properly curtail the national drug trade. It is not nearly enough to upgrade the judiciary so that body can deal with the problem. If the prime minister is serious about dealing with the problem, be it on a proactive or reactive level, he would be adding some zeros to the stated figure. As it stands, his proposed strategy seems naught but a form of appeasement solely intended to win votes. Mike Anderson, Abbotsford - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake