Pubdate: Fri, 10 Mar 2017
Source: Cowichan Valley Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2017 Cowichan Valley Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/cowichanvalleycitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4349
Author: Gary Starkweather

CANNABIS SHOP RAIDS A WASTE OF RESOURCES

I am deeply disappointed in North Cowichan's decision to apply the
letter of the law to our cannabis dispensaries last Friday.

Just a few days earlier Inspector Carfantan spoke of RCMP "limited
resources" being "stretched" by the volume of calls coming from the
community every day.

Despite the above, Mayor Lefebure and council decided to press for
raids on the businesses, which required the time of several officers
and hours including the bagging and logging of evidence etc., and
there will be court time.

I am told that this sort of raid typically costs more than $25,000
dollars which means that the tab for the three raids together will
total $75,000-plus dollars.

This useless expense could have been avoided and the savings used to
hire additional officers.

So first, this is a serious waste of scarce resources, which could be
better spent on real crime.

Second, these shops provided a service needed by many and supported by
many more. These businesses harmed none.

Finally, there was no requirement that the municipality take this
course. The recent Abbotsford court decision said that it was within
the scope of the powers of the municipality to enforce the law, but
there was no mandate to do so in the decision. These raids were done
because council or the mayor wanted it done.

Ultimately we will learn who the folks were that caused this massive
waste and they will have to answer to the voters next year for having
done so.

Gary Starkweather

Crofton
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MAP posted-by: Matt