Judge Les Grieve took time during the sentencing of an inmate from the Drumheller Institution to clarify the intentions of a statement he made at the conclusion of a fatality inquiry this year.
Last Friday, Johnathen Glover appeared in provincial court in Drumheller to plead guilty to simple possession of drugs.
The court heard, how on July 30 of this year, corrections officers, doing a range walk, took note of cannabis resin on a lip balm cap that Glover possessed. The institution value of the find was about $900. The Crown and defence agreed on a joint submission of 60 days consecutive to his sentence.
Before Grieve delivered his sentence, he addressed media reports from earlier this fall, where it was implied from his statements that the war on drugs has been lost.
In the conclusion of a fatality report into the death of Cory Stewart Mountain, which was released earlier this fall, Grieve stated, “The so-called 'war on drugs,' in my humble view is a war which cannot be won.”
The report showed that Mountain was able to obtain three drugs, which overwhelmed him and caused his death.
A report from the media suggested Grieve said the war on drugs was lost. He indicated the war on drugs was much like the war on poverty, crime and terrorism.
“This is not a war that society 'wins.' These are battles to be constantly fought to keep casualties to a minimum.”
He went on to point out the reports imply that judges have given up.
“Judges are committed to putting all offenders, including the drug addicted on a healthy path in life,” he said.
