(This
column was published in the North
Shore News on
Feb. 7, 2001)
Feds wake up to organized crime threat
By Leo Knight
I'M
holding my breath this morning.
While
I have been underwhelmed with the performance, or lack thereof,
of federal Justice Minister Anne McLellan over the past few
years, I'm actually a little heartened that maybe, just maybe,
she is finally starting to get it.
McLellan
has conducted her office with masterly inactivity since she was
appointed to the country's top law enforcement post in 1997.
Yet, defying the odds this week in Ottawa, she announced a new legislative initiative designed to fight organized crime in general and outlaw motorcycle gangs in particular.
Now,
before I go on, I should say that nothing is carved in stone
with this.
She
and Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay are apparently putting
together a package designed to give police more powers in
investigating and infiltrating organized crime groups while also
dealing with the issues of recruitment and membership.
The
proposed legislation will also have specific measures aimed at
those who would intimidate and threaten those involved in the
process and administration of justice. But the package has to be
sold at the cabinet table first and to treasury second because
of new funding initiatives also being sought.
The
shooting of Montreal crime reporter Michel Auger may have
sparked the outrage most of the country feels towards organized
criminals who perpetually thumb their noses at a civilized
society. But, that singular act may have also provided the
impetus for McLellan to begin earning her paycheque.
"There
are serious consequences if you attempt to intimidate those who
are lawfully going about their duties to administer the criminal
justice system," she was quoted as saying Monday in the Ottawa
Sun.
"And
that is true whether you intimidate police, prosecutors, judges,
jury members or even legislators. Who better to intimidate than
the people who pass the laws?" McLellan asked.
Well,
Bravo Minister! What the heck took you so long?
For
years this country has been a haven for elements of organized
crime.
With
our lax laws and lenient sentencing, criminals from all over the
world have been coming to Canada to orchestrate their illegal
enterprises.
Police
in this country have been fighting the war against organized
crime with their hands tied behind their back.
Now
it appears they might actually get some legislation with teeth.
But,
and it's a very big but, they need money to do the job.
And,
no, I'm not about to suggest simply throwing money at the
problem in the vain hope there will be an effect. And there's
the rub.
During
the last federal election campaign, the prime minister told the
country his government had committed over $500 million to the
RCMP to fight organized crime.
That
was simply not true.
The
extra money committed to the Mounties was merely to re-establish
some positions underfunded by the Liberals in previous budgets
and to pay for wage and benefit increases finally granted the
national police force after seven years of stagnation under a
pay freeze.
None
of the money went towards the investigation of organized crime.
In
point of fact, the bulk of the funding committed to taking on
organized crime comes from the enforcement budgets of provincial
and municipal governments. Not the feds.
The
Liberals will be asked to supply new funding for technology
improvements and other hard resources for police.
Given
the size of the federal surplus, it would seem entirely
reasonable that some of that money be invested in the protection
of the public. I don't believe there is actually room for
another fountain in the river in Shawinigan.
While
it appears the federal government is finally getting around to
doing something, it must be noted that the provincial government
is going to have to step up to the plate as well.
Considering
that Premier Ujjal Dosanjh has already committed almost a
billion dollars to a variety of initiatives designed to buy our
votes and it now seems the SkyTrain expansion will cost about
double the $1.5 billion originally estimated, there is not
likely to be much of an increase to the paltry $13.5-million
budget of the Organized Crime Agency of B.C.
And
that would be a shame.
OCABC
was formed out of the ashes of the Coordinated Law Enforcement
Unit (CLEU) following the Owen Report. But the Dosanjh
government has already proven they are prepared to play politics
with the issue of organized crime.
When
the agency was formed it had an annual budget of $13.5 million,
the same as CLEU in its last years of operation.
There
is a huge difference. CLEU's budget paid for operations,
primarily. The wages of the police officers who worked there
were paid for by their host departments and agencies.
The
structure of OCA is entirely different.
The
salaries of the investigators are being borne out of the main
budget. This leaves precious little for operational needs.
The
government told the agency to go out and prove its worth and the
budget would be reviewed after their first full year.
In
the first few months of operations, Dosanjh trimmed the budget
back to $10 million which forced out the first director, Bev
Busson, now the commanding officer of the RCMP in British
Columbia.
In
a classic case of NDP hypocrisy, then-Attorney General Andrew
Petter held a news conference to announce an additional $5
million in funding to OCA. In reality, he merely restored the
original budget and said "Oh, aren't we wonderful."
In
spite of the handcuffs placed upon them by the government of
Ujjal Dosanjh, OCA has delivered.
They
have seized far more property, drugs, weapons and cash than
their operating budget.
They
are actually chipping away at the criminal operations of
organized crime.
The
federal government seems poised to finally do its part.
The NDP seem poised to let the citizens of B.C. down yet again.
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