A flyer from the Hon. Carol Skelton

I just got an interesting flyer from our conservative MP in the mail the other day. you can find the images here and here. So I took the opportunity to write Ms Skelton a letter. I still have to print it and mail it but I will do it as soon as my sweety gets home and fills the ink cartridge. Anyway, without furher ado, here is my letter.



September 23, 2006


Hon. Carol Skelton, PC, MP
904E 22nd Street West
Saskatoon SK S7M 0S1


Dear Ms. Skelton,

I recently received your flyer in the mail entitled “Tackling Crime: Gangs and Drugs in Saskatoon” and I welcome the opportunity to air my concerns about drugs and crime in my community. I applaud your efforts to reduce the impact of crime in Saskatoon and we can all agree that this is a very important issue. I agree that community-based initiatives like employment programs and education will go a long way towards preventing our youth from falling into the trap of gang involvement.

However, I am concerned that the root cause of gang and drug-related violence is not being adequately addressed. I am quite concerned and disappointed that the conservative government has not followed through with the recommendations of the Special Committee on Illegal Drugs. We are still punishing non-violent drug users and suppliers without solving the cause of the extremely lucrative drug trade, which is often run by gangs. As long as it is extremely profitable to produce and sell drugs such as marijuana, any efforts that we make towards reducing the influence of gangs will be futile. Wasting our precious tax dollars incarcerating non-violent drug offenders does nothing to insure the safety of Canadians. "The continued prohibition of Cannabis jeopardizes the health and well-being of Canadians much more than does the substance itself." - Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, 2002

I believe that giving Canadians the choice to ingest marijuana legally would go a long way towards crippling gang-related activity. If a safe, legal and affordable supply of marijuana was available, gangs would no longer have the vast financial resources that the drug trade offers. Marijuana is far safer than any of the legal intoxicants that are presently available including both alcohol and tobacco and has never caused an overdose death.

Thank you for your hard work representing my riding and for listening to my concerns.