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Dec 31,2006 - Jan7,2006 |
Sins of procrastination
Part 21 - Canada continues to drag its feet in the fight against Organized Crime
By Antonio Nicaso
Originally Published: 2001-06-24
Even Americans have begun to raise their voice: the FBI first, then the Permanent Subcommittee of the Senate on Organized Crime. They’re angry at Canada because it does not manage to make life difficult for mobsters, or to adequately patrol its long border with the U.S.
While in the United States the gangs are in a tight spot, north of it they are prospering undisturbed. From time to time someone ends up in jail, but few rejoice. "The situation is worrisome," wrote the CSIS, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, mentioning at least 18 criminal organizations operating here: from British Columbia to Quebec, passing through Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, all the way to the Atlantic provinces.
Some weeks ago, Raymond Mercier, Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP, hinted at the possibility of cutbacks for countering budget shortfalls. These could jeopardize investigation nuclei at the forefront of the struggle against organized crime.
The Solicitor General, Lawrence MacAulay, could very well not exist. Since he replaced Andy Scott he never uttered a word about the problem. We tried to interview him; we sent him written questions, but all to no avail. Other newspapers tried as well, with the same lack of success. However, the fault is not entirely MacAulay’s. It is the whole Chrétien cabinet that keeps underestimating such a dangerous phenomenon as Mafia-like criminal organizations. There’s no law against criminal associations, nor adequate laws against financial crimes.
Some time ago I met with Sergeant Mark Bourque of the Montreal RCMP. He told me about the misadventures encountered during Operation Pilgram. Bourque was on the tracks of a powerful organization that in a couple of years had deposited more than 30 million dollars in cash in some Canadian banks. When he tried to shed some light on that whirlwind of money he was met with endless miles of red tape and infinite difficulties. He was treated as if he were a nosey intruder instead of a detective hunting down the dirty trail of money.
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