Police chiefs hear Canada losing war

on organized crime, haven for gangsters

Saskatoon StarPhoenix-Regina Leader-Post 

SASKATOON (CP) - Canada's reputation as an international haven for gangsters is growing as the country loses the war against organized crime, police chiefs heard Tuesday.

"We have 18 different organized crime groups in Canada. The first question we should ask to ourselves is why do they love Canada?'' said Antonio Nicaso, an internationally recognized author who has written several books on organized crime. His latest is called Bloodlines: The Rise and Fall of the Mafia's Royal Family. Nicaso, who was speaking to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police convention, said criminals see Canada as a place with a much lower risk of prosecution and detention compared to the United States.

"In Canada, we try to avoid trials. The only interest for our justice system is to make a deal to avoid the costs, and in that way we allow criminals to spend just a few years in jail,'' he told reporters after his address to delegates. "We are paying the price of 30 years of political underestimation of the problem.

'' Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay told the same convention on Sunday that police agencies are getting a leg up on the criminal competition by working together. "With the RCMP, police forces, CISC (Canadian Intelligence Service Canada) and security intelligence agencies around the world, we're able to keep these people at bay,'' MacAulay said. "When you work together, not only nationally but internationally, you're able to keep the peace. "The good guys have to win.''

Nicaso said MacAulay's comments oversell the success of the Canadian effort. The absence of a national organized crime police force, lack of political will and weak anti-gang legislation are major faults in the country's strategy, he suggested.

"The solicitor general gives the perception that we have everything in our hand to fight properly organized crime. It is not the case.'' He said when it comes to who spends the most, "criminal organizations will outspend, outlast and outmanoeuvre anything law enforcement can put together.''

Julian Fantino, chairman of the police association's organized crime committee, did not want to comment on Nicaso's address. But in an interview the day before, he said Canada is making progress, albeit at a slower rate than the United States. He acknowledged that crime groups are looking to Canada.

"There is going to be more opportunity pursued in this country by offshore organized crime enterprises who look at Canada really as a country of opportunity,'' Fantino said. "Canada is going to have to work very hard to safeguard our sovereignty.'' Regina police Chief Cal Johnston agreed a co-ordinated effort between various police forces and agencies is necessary to fight organized crime, which often involves complex, time-consuming investigations. Changes to criminal law being considered by the federal government might also assist police in their efforts to break up criminal organizations, he added. The proposed changes would alter the definition of a criminal organization so that only three people would have to be involved instead of five before it was considered such. The convention concludes Wednesday.