Wilbur
New Member
Residents of a city high rise that was home to 22 apartments used for growing marijuana should be given financial help to move out of the building, Opposition Leader John Tory said today.
The money to move the residents could come from a fund set up for victims of crime, Tory suggested.
"There's no question in my mind if someone came from the health department and said, `These apartments are unsafe electrically, structurally or from a health standpoint,' we owe it to those people to somehow find a place to live," Tory said.
"They're innocent victims of crime."
On Friday, Toronto police uprooted the massive marijuana grow-op spread across several floors of a 13-storey apartment building.
They uncovered about 6,600 plants growing under sophisticated lighting and watering systems.
Premier Dalton McGuinty said today the Liberal government was examining the idea to see if there was a fund that might be available to help people in the building who fear for their health because of mould associated with grow-ops.
"However, I would not want to somehow lead the public to believe that the property owner is not without some responsibility in this matter," McGuinty told the legislature.
Tory also called for harsher sentences for criminals convicted of operating marijuana grow ops.
He said provincial police had uncovered more than 400 marijuana grow ops this year, and noted the criminals who run them are getting bolder, and using lethal booby traps to protect their illegal crops.
"Combine this with the health and safety risks in apartment buildings, they are threatening innocent people who are living in these buildings," he said.
McGuinty said it made sense to have the three party leaders press the federal government for action instead of simply passing a resolution in the Ontario legislature.
"It may be speedier for all three of us to co-sign a letter to Prime Minister Harper," McGuinty said.
"In view of the fact that an election may be called at any time, it may be the fastest thing that we might do is ask the prime minister to amend an existing piece of legislation."
Tory agreed he'd like to send a letter signed by the two of them and NDP Leader Howard Hampton asking for changes to the Criminal Code for tougher sentences for those who run marijuana grow ops.
Newshawk: User - 420 Magazine
Source: TheStar.com
Pubdate: 27 November 2006
Copyright: 2006 Toronto Star Newspapers Limited
Contact: TheStar.com
Website: TheStar.com
The money to move the residents could come from a fund set up for victims of crime, Tory suggested.
"There's no question in my mind if someone came from the health department and said, `These apartments are unsafe electrically, structurally or from a health standpoint,' we owe it to those people to somehow find a place to live," Tory said.
"They're innocent victims of crime."
On Friday, Toronto police uprooted the massive marijuana grow-op spread across several floors of a 13-storey apartment building.
They uncovered about 6,600 plants growing under sophisticated lighting and watering systems.
Premier Dalton McGuinty said today the Liberal government was examining the idea to see if there was a fund that might be available to help people in the building who fear for their health because of mould associated with grow-ops.
"However, I would not want to somehow lead the public to believe that the property owner is not without some responsibility in this matter," McGuinty told the legislature.
Tory also called for harsher sentences for criminals convicted of operating marijuana grow ops.
He said provincial police had uncovered more than 400 marijuana grow ops this year, and noted the criminals who run them are getting bolder, and using lethal booby traps to protect their illegal crops.
"Combine this with the health and safety risks in apartment buildings, they are threatening innocent people who are living in these buildings," he said.
McGuinty said it made sense to have the three party leaders press the federal government for action instead of simply passing a resolution in the Ontario legislature.
"It may be speedier for all three of us to co-sign a letter to Prime Minister Harper," McGuinty said.
"In view of the fact that an election may be called at any time, it may be the fastest thing that we might do is ask the prime minister to amend an existing piece of legislation."
Tory agreed he'd like to send a letter signed by the two of them and NDP Leader Howard Hampton asking for changes to the Criminal Code for tougher sentences for those who run marijuana grow ops.
Newshawk: User - 420 Magazine
Source: TheStar.com
Pubdate: 27 November 2006
Copyright: 2006 Toronto Star Newspapers Limited
Contact: TheStar.com
Website: TheStar.com
