Bugera gets eye-opener about drug use in Edmonton

Submitted by Nicole Seguin on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 5:15pm

*Readers in Swift Current, Alberta may wish to make note of councillor Tim Bugera's comments in the following article, as well as the story we posted from the Edmonton Sun which brought up the falling crime rate in Edmonton and Canada.

Swift Current--A recent trip to Edmonton was an eye-opening experience for one City councillor.

Throughout the past year, Tim Bugera has been vocalizing his concerns about illegal drug usage in Swift Current.

Recently he went to Edmonton for four days to drive along with the Edmonton City Police.
“It is a real eye-opener,” he said. “(It) makes you thankful of where you live.”
He added, he saw things a person doesn’t really want to see.
The message he brought back to council was that the police force is focusing on education. Right from Grades 2 and 3, they are educated about drug use in their city and they have a dozen school liaison officers, he explained.
Bugera is the council representative with the Swift Current and District Drug Task Force which recently announced its four pillars.  
The pillars include prevention, treatment, harm reduction and community justice have been divided into sub-committees.
Anyone wishing to volunteer under a specific pillar may contact Larry Kielo, chair of the task force at 306-773-2801 ext. 505.
As a final comment at the City’s council meeting, Bugera mentioned he also feels there needs to be harsher penalties for drug-related crimes.
“It still amazes me that you get a stiffer penalty talking on a cell phone now in a vehicle than you might if you have got drugs in your car,” said Bugera.
“As some point the province should lobby the federal government to see if we can get stiffer penalties,” he added.
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