, Jun. 24, 2009 (Resource News International) -- The following is a quick glimpse of the
news making the headlines in Canada.
CANADA BECOMING A HUB FOR ILLEGAL DRUG SHIPMENTS
Canada has become a major producer and shipper in the trade of
methamphetamines and ecstasy, according to a new United Nations
report.
According to the 314-page report by the UN Office on Drugs and
Crime, Canada-based organized crime groups involved in the
methamphetamine trade "has grown significantly." As well, these
groups have increased the amount of methamphetamines they have
manufactured and exported.
Australia, for example, reported that 83 per cent of its total
seized imports of methamphetamines by weight came from Canada. In
Japan, the figure was 62 per cent.
"A lot of this seems to be transnational international trade
being organized by organized crime using mostly the West Coast of
Canada as a hub," said Walter Kemp, a spokesman for the UN's Office
on Drugs and Crime.
The report also found that since 2003-04, Canada has become
the primary source of ecstasy-group substances for North American
markets and increasingly for other regions.
"In 2007, it was estimated that 50 per cent of domestically
produced ecstasy was trafficked outside of Canada," the report
said. "Most of this was thought to be destined for the U.S.,
Australia and Japan."
Also in 2007, Japan reported that Canada was the biggest
source of seized ecstasy.
The report also noted that Canada has grown to be the most
important producer of MDMA for North America, and since 2006, all
ecstasy laboratories reported have been large capacity facilities
operated principally by Asian organized crime groups.
But the report also revealed that demand for marijuana and
cocaine is down in Europe and North America. Opium production has
also flattened out or even declined. (CBC News)
SANITIZER WITHHELD FROM FLU-RAVAGED RESERVES OVER ALCOHOL FEARS
In the critical days after dozens of Manitoba aboriginals fell
severely ill with swine flu, Health Canada hesitated in sending
desperately needed hand sanitizer to native towns because of
concerns that people would ingest the alcohol-based gel.
The revelation arose Tuesday during a Senate probe of the
federal government's response to the H1N1 outbreak on reserves and
exposes yet another fissure in the $1-billion national pandemic
plan that many aboriginal leaders say has failed them.
Kim Barker, public health adviser for the Assembly of First
Nations, told the Senate committee on aboriginal peoples she was
"devastated" when she first heard that health officials were
spending precious time debating the wisdom of sending hand
sanitizer which can contain up to 70-per-cent alcohol to the
communities.
"We heard that ...
