DRUG COURT IDEA NEW? OR DEJA VU?

It's a creepy kind of deja vu.

There he was last week, our new provincial attorney-general praising the
merits of a treatment-oriented court for users and addicts, instead of
processing them through the revolving door of our criminal courts.

Graeme Bowbrick was all goo-goo eyed about the experimental court for drug
addicts he had viewed in Toronto.

"Here's a model...that says let's do something to stop crimes from being
committed," he said enthusiastically.

It seems like yesterday that another NDP attorney-general (now premier) was
raving about a system of drug courts in the U.S. that focussed on
rehabilitation rather than punishment for druggies.

Is this a dog and pony show for voters or a sincere search for alternatives
for those roaming the Downtown eastside?

If it's the latter, we offer this sage advice to the newest tenant in the
NDP attorney-general's office; just do it!