You can’t claim Yellowhead MP Rob Merrifield is inconsistent. For the third time in two years, Jasper’s representative in the House of Commons has tabled a Private Member’s Bill that deals with the criminal consequences of creating and distributing illicit drugs.

“The language of the bill includes all Category 1 and Category 2 drugs, but crystal meth is the target,” Merrifield said from his Ottawa office last week. 

The legislation will invoke mandatory minimum sentences for serious drug crimes including trafficking. 

In a press release issued after he tabled the bill, Merrifield described his reasons for suggesting the minimum sentences.

“Mandatory minimum sentences will achieve two main objectives. First, mandatory minimums will prevent crime by requiring judges to put serious criminals behind bars thereby preventing repeat offences. Second, the stiffer sentences will give victims and Canadians justice that is more equal to the crimes that are committed against us,” he said.

Currently, there are no mandatory sentencing requirements for serious drug crimes, with the length and conditions of the sentence left up to the presiding judge.

“Right now the bill calls for a two year mandatory minimum,” Merrifield said. “Higher would be fine by me, but we’ve kept it at two years so our NDP and Liberal friends won’t be offended by it.”

While Merrifield’s earlier attempts to provide more legislative support in the battle against methamphetamines took a long time to come up on the order paper, he’s confident that the Conservative government’s commitment to get tough on crime will lead to quicker results this time around.

“I’ve already spoken to Vic Toews, our Justice minister, he’s supportive of this and he’s encouraged me to continue. Vic is very adamant about this one — it’s part of our platform.”

Merrifield’s previous efforts, a bill intended to make it more difficult to obtain the precursor ingredients for crystal meth and another attempting to alter the terms of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, were introduced during the Liberal administration. 

“The wheels of change work slowly around here sometimes,” Merrifield said in reference to the time it took to convince Liberal ministers to include the substance of his proposals in government-led legislation. “This time, things are happening at lightning speed.”

It’s not too late for Merrifield’s suggestions to be piggy-backed on the goverment’s Criminal Justice Reform Act, which introduced minimum sentences for a variety of offences, but not drug crimes. That bill was voted on for the first time two weeks ago, Merrifield said.

“If you look back in history, that bill was a lot to do with the commitment of the Mayerthorpe families. So the Yellowhead region has played a major role in promoting these changes in our system.”

If Merrifield has his way, he’ll continue to provide leadership on crystal meth issues in Parliament.

“It’s more and more prevalent all across Canada, but it really is a Western Canadian issue moving east,” he said. Together with another MP, Merrfield has in the past pushed for the creation of a “meth caucus” to discuss issues and responses to the drug. 

“That’s been recently rekindled and we’ll be meeting next week,” he said. “Meth is a drug we don’t dare lose the fight against.”

Should Merrifield’s proposal become law, he’s confident that it will have a trickle-down effect on many crimes in communities with high rates of illegal drug use.

“When the RCMP talk to you about it, they say that 90 per cent of thefts and break-ins in these areas are drug-related,” Merrifield said. “In this legislation I’ve targeted the drug, but it’s a powerful product that has to be dealt with in as many ways as possible.”

With that in mind, Merrifield said he was committed to working closely with West Yellowhead MLA Ivan Strang to explore the creation of a residential drug treatment or rehabilitation facility in the region.

“I think it’s something that is needed, and I’ll be continuing to work to make it happen.”