Legislative Report August 16, 2005

Last week the federal government reclassified crystal methamphetamine to Schedule One drug, alongside other harsh drugs including cocaine and heroin. People found guilty of trafficking crystal meth can now be sentenced to life imprisonment. Previously, the maximum sentence for those found guilty of trafficking the drug was less than 10 years.

When the Saskatchewan Party raised this issue last June, we said that Meth needed to be reclassified to a Schedule One drug, as it is an incredibly devastating and dangerous drug. One drug user that we talked to told us that heroin is like Girl Guide cookies in comparison to crystal meth. We are glad the federal government agrees.

It was the Saskatchewan Party that pushed the NDP to try and get this drug reclassified because we knew if it didn’t happen soon, we’d be in trouble. And what did we get from Calvert and his cronies when we first raised this issue? They denied that it was a serious problem and accused the Saskatchewan Party that we were making a mountain out of a molehill. They have finally seen the light that crystal meth is destroying Saskatchewan’s vibrant fabric.

Communities and families have been overwhelmed by this drug. With stronger sentences in place, the judicial system will be able to put the low-lifes who deal this drug to our children and our friends behind bars for good. Let’s hope the judges understand the importance of removing these people from society as they bring nothing but grief and misery to communities.

The Saskatchewan Party is delighted to see the federal government has made crystal meth a priority. We understand this move alone will not solve the problem immediately, but it is a step in the right direction. To combat the problem of crystal meth addiction, or any other addiction for that matter, it will take communities, government and people working together.

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