"A larger concern about these spooks is what other activities they participate in while claiming to be trying to protect Americans from Canadian drugs." wrote Allan.

My sentiment exactly. One more example of the colonial mindset of our ruling elites in their relationship with the US. I'm convinced these bootlicks don't know how to be any other way, they have been kissing Yankee asses for so long.

These SOBs need to be flushed out and exposed, and sent packing backing to the Land of The Free To Be Poor, And The Home of The I'm Alright Jack, Everyman For Himself.

When we are talking about defense strategies, the sovereignty of our north and other territories, Canada's role in the world, and the threats to our peace and security, the biggest problem we have is in our relationship with, and the threat posed by the US Empire, and their hit and goon squads such as these Secret Service and CIA types. Alongside that, of course, is the problem of our own subservient ruling class and political elites.

These chickens are just beginning to come home to roost for us as well, in the new Homeland Security and Continental Security megalomanis environment, behind which theirs and our own homegrown fascism creeps.

The most dangerous political environment, and threat to democracy, of my lifetime, is taking shape before our very eyes, and comes not from abroad from any "terrorist" band, but just from across the 49th parallel and intruding itself into this country.

Surely they had some part to play in the recent busts of the "Da-Kine Cafe", don't you think?

Come on, everyone knows there is a link between drug sales and terrorism -- for example, the CIA has been widely accused of using cocaine profits to fund "contras", terrorists by any valid definition. If the DEA would investigate that we might know the truth... well, oh, never mind. The wierdness of these new terrorist-link musings definitely prove it is beyond time to legalize marijuana in Canada. If terrorists are indeed running our production it only further exposes the perverion of creating vastly profitable markets open only to those who would use violence to enforce contracts. But that is for us. The US can do as it pleases, and I deeply respect their right to pass legislation, however misguided, for their own country. So, for example, I would fully support (as a policy) Canadian police working with the DEA and handing grow-op *exporters* over to the US for prosecution under their law (and punishment at their expense -- pace alan).

David, you're catching on finally. Yes there is a linkage and funny how it all ties into the same government, which, if you believed its "war on drugs" charade you are likely now quivering as you await the results of its war on terrorism. While I don't have a lot of sympathy for drug exporters,(just another unfettered capitalist enterprise), there might be a problem or two with your simple solution. Some of us do expect that the laws requiring fairly clear evidence of wrong-doing be satisfied before an extradiction application is approved. But then I start to think of people such as Leonard Peltier(sp?), who was framed by U.S. agents almost 40 years ago, a sad fact proven in later investigations. Unfortunately for that Canadian, he continues to rot in an American prison because senior politicians in the U.S. will not acknowledge what the world knows, including the Canadian Government. When Peltier is released I'll have a little less concern about DEA members or about the more than 700 FBI operatives on the ground in Canada. I might also note for anyone dumb enough to get tangled up with these guys, entrapment is a standard operating practice even though it's illegal and more so in Canada if it is carried out by foreign agents.

I know why they are here, Vancouver and BC is general is very progressive when it comes To drug issues. We are searching for a new vision of drug addiction and not the Tougher And dumber approach that Reagan introduced. The DEA can now keep a closer watch and interfere With any progress in this area. As well as many other covert operations. (Vancouver has had The largest peace protests in Canada) and is the only country were the G8 Globalization summit Was cancelled due to risk of mass protests. We also have a very progressive opposition that Opposes the Neo Con agenda. Just a few good reasons to be here.....The fear that the world Will see our progress is a real issue for them. Oh and bye the way the patriots act gives The DEA the right to all records of any agency that it has worked with them. So if the RCMP Has worked with the DEA your records have no doubt been compromised. Anyone feel like A vacation in the US>

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It seems like every time I turn around, the War on Drugs has sprouted a corrupt new offshoot. I first became interested in drug law when I got robbed by some hapless junkie in the East End, so of course I was aware of the property-crime plague the WoD had created. But following events in the past couple of years, I've arrived at the conviction that this multi-headed disaster just may be the most crucial issue facing Canada, and certainly Vancouver, today.// The WoD is: creating and sustaining vast and violent criminal syndicates; undermining public health and contributing to the deaths of 100s of Vancouver addicts annually; corrupting police, court officials and politicians on every level; eroding our rights and freedoms as individuals; and making a mockery of the very basis of Western liberty, the idea that we, and not the state, are the owners of our bodies. Here's what the WoD is *not* doing: reducing drug use. At all.// And now, Alisa Smith confirms what I've come to suspect: the WoD is undermining our nation's sovereignty. Really, is there any other way to describe the DEA presence in Vancouver? Our forelock-tugging political class has actually surrendered their basic function, law enforcement, to a pack of armed, deluded -- I would go so far as to say *fanatical* -- foreign agents. There's a name for that kind of thing, friends. We used to hang people for it.// I could go on, but I've posted extensively on this subject here before, and I don't want to bore my online friends too much. But I ask anyone who supports the WoD, and more importantly anyone who doesn't think drug policy is a pressing issue, to take a look at the facts here. This is a self-inflicted societal wound of immense proportions, and it's only going to get worse, unless there is a serious groundswell of public opposition. I'm hoping Alisa Smith might act as a 21st-century Laura Secord here, alerting us all to the presence of quiet Americans armed with guns and stupid, stupid ideas. Never mind whether the narcotics trade fuels terrorism (there's an obvious solution to that problem, if it's real) -- we now must ask ourselves, does the War on Drugs fuel imperialism?

We do not want them here. We simply do not. This is not a specific "Drug" issue. This is about a foreign government monitoring our activities, within our borders, with the obvious intention of undermining our sovereignty. Nor is this simply a case of "Bad, Bad, Americans"; If the Polish government sent agents to monitor and interfere with our Jello consumption, I would also be concerned (provided, of course, the Poles had the ability and will to influence Canadian policy makers in all matters concerning Jello). United States DEA: You simply are not welcome here!

(Musing) I suppose it's the Americans's business if they want to have a presence here of the DEA or any other of their government arms; they are extension of their consular office. They're welcome to monitor us, as we do them. If they were to usurp Canadian law enforcement, that is quite a different matter. However, keeping tabs on foreign nationals in Canada is actually something that our domestic spies have always done exceedingly well, according to Sawatsky.

Ron, you wrote: "If they were to usurp Canadian law enforcement...." Sure, it would be a misnomer to say that they "usurp" Canadian law enforcment. The correct terms might be that they "influence", they "persuade".....Fine, whatever. The point is, they BULLY. Is there a difference "usurping" and "persuading"? Sure. In this instance, does the difference matter? Probably not.

Weed supports terrorism?!?!! Dude, the last time I checked growing weed supported getting a new 4x4 and a season's pass at Whitewater. Maybe a couple of heli rides or cat-skiing if it was a good year.

"we now must ask ourselves, does the War on Drugs fuel imperialism?" observered Earnest Canuck.

Come on Earnest, tell me you wrote this piece just to rattle my presumptions and sensibilities! And it worked.

Whatever, it's a spot on post, in my opinion.

alan -- I share your scepticism regarding the value of evidence that might be offered by our American friends to justify extradition -- that was why I added (as a policy): cases would need to be carefully examined, as your well chosen example of Leonard Peltier reminds us. (The "sombody will pay" mentatilty has clearly lead to an injustice nin his case, at least as the facts have been presented to me.) I just want to squarely face the nonsensical red herring arguments about the cross border effect of rationalizing our laws in Canada. Admitting frankly that cross border trade exists, and that the US has every right to stop it is part of that discussion. However, we should also point out that there currently exist other, similar, differential policy issues, and they have never required closing the border. For example, handguns. No doubt they leak over the border from the US. It's a problem here, but we don't expect that they will align their domestic policy to limit handgun proliferation in Canada, and Americans would totally ignore us if we requested. (OKay, they'd laugh, and then lecture us about how successful the 2nd Ammendment has been at keeping them so much freer than we are.) But we have a simple pragmatic solution at the border. If a US citizen turns up at Blaine and answers yes she has a gun in her car, the CDN authorities (I am told) will ask her to leave it at the border, to be picked up on the way home. Sounds simple; I suspect the US custom officials would catch on eventually, though less certain the hapless travelers' "bags" would be so easy to keep intact. And that, alas, could indeed slow the border down.

David, you stole those lines right out of my mind, then positioned the thoughts with a much finer pen. Although I am pessimistic there will be a never ending lobby to open the border completely to trade - and screw the consequences, I do find the responses to Alisa's excellent piece encouraging. In the meantime, until signs of rational life start to creep back over the border, I won't be a visitor to the land of Dubya. Who know, that could be as early as next week or a minimum of four+ years.

Lets "out" them. Lets find out where they are, then picket their office. Lets find out their number, their fax number, their email, and flood these thugs out of existence.Lets find out where they live, where they go, what they do, who they talk to. Lets follow them, obviously, loudly and persistently. Lets tell everyone we know, as I suspect most Canadians would be outraged to know of this.In other words, lets make it impossible for them to do their jobs.

Relayer: Are you volunteering to organize this "outing"?

There is no doubt it is the kind of thing that needs to be done, Relayer. I love my small town life, but there are times when it is at a disadvantage. I would seriously love to work on this kind of project, and fortunately, I'm positioned that they could do me little harm.

See. Now you actually got me going. But it is a project for folks in the Big City, no doubt.

For damn sure, with the right body of people, or even alone, and some initial discretion, while you got your facts, places, and faces together, it could be done though.

They certainly do need to be "outed", no doubt. Pictures posted etc, in say some of the "street level" rags and online.

Talking to folks at the BC Civil Liberties in Vancouver would be a good place to start, to see what leads they might have of our US spooks, office location etc (U.S. Embassy?).

Though we shouldn't kid ourselves. They are here with the full knowledge and cooperation of our own state apparatus, both provincial and confederal. They'd trade anyone of us off to the bastards for another truckload of lumber they might allow them to ship. So, IF you take it on, cover your ass, and remember, Loose Lips Sink Ships. (From WW2.)

And patience. You don't have patience and tenacity, don't even start.

Want to know the real relationship between the US economy and prohibition see "narcodollars" http://narcodollars.usmjparty.com . The relationship is described in pictures. If you have more than 5 minutes read the article by Catherine Austin Fitts in the "articles" section

Barbara, I'd love to take this on. However, like Coyote, I live in the boonies, about 6 hours east of Vancouver. Too bad, because this is doable. And even if not ultimately successful, if it got media coverage that ordinary citizens were trying to oust these spies, just maybe our federal gov't would be embarassed into restoring our sovereignty. Any volunteers?

All these "boonie" people have great excuses. I'm from Surrey, that passes as an excuse for most things. Anyone without an excuse?

I think outing these guys is a great idea, and I'd certainly want to lend a hand, but I have too have an excuse: I'm actually living in Australia at the moment. But really, something should be done about this - even if the US has a treaty of some sort to hang the whole thing on, it's still pretty outrageous. Has it been taken up by anyone in the mainstream media at all?

Finally, someone with a motive, opportunity, and means, for the arson fire that took down the pot block last April.

Barbara in Surrey. You don't have to say you're Surrey. We in the boonies understand. But seriously, there are ways to start trying to track spooks, although I must caution, you may be breaking some new "anti-terrorist" laws simply by discussing the potential of doing something like this. (You can't be involved in a conspiracy if you work on something all by yourself). Ok, so it sounds mad, but remember there are Canadians who have been sitting in legal limbo for several years on charges that have never been publicy aired based on evidence the public, the accused and lawyers for the accused aren't even privy to. ***That little caveat aside, you can do what the reporter did and contact other DEA, FBI or US police agencies and perhaps luck out with a number for their B.C. or Canadian operations. Be resourceful and dig for potential clues by calling all sorts of US agencies even if they don't seem connected to espionage. Don't overlook Canadian police and security agencies, as they too maintain contacts. These guys maintain cross-links with many Americans in Canada. It works more than you think. Be patient because you may have to wait until someone in a hurry to get rid of you or who's having a bad day or whatever, gives you the # you need. Treat it as a game and then you won't be so frustrated when you get shuffled off to nowhere. Friends or contacts in the media might help as some of these spook guys will be seen in media footage at busts, etc. Learn where U.S. consulate staffers hang out. Some of this stuff has to be coordinated by someone and the diplomatic staff is as likley to be involved as anyone because they have all been drafted as part of Dubya's "war on Terrorism.". Pay attention and be cautious as you may run into those unknown laws our justice officials have quietly enacted to protect you from yourself.

Seems to me this sort of not-quite-direct action is the proper province of one of the established anti-Prohibition groups -- preferably one without a US link, and preferably one that's serious, sober-minded and able to provide respectable people in suits for the cameras...

The US doesn't allow Canadians to snoop around in THEIR precious country. Why are Americans in Canada to spy on us? Maybe if they didn't have such an arrogrant attitude, the world would not hate them, eh?

"Why are Americans in Canada to spy on us?" Well Dean, because Paul Martin and Stephen Harper want it that way. And why not, since they both wanted to get Canada involved in Iraq?

For years now the US military and other US interests have been in the Kootenays near "harvest" time. Nothing new to those growing fields of greens.

The US military in the Kootenays? In uniform? What?

Tha Geek, I have a friend in the West Kootenays, who tells me US military staff have attempted on numerous occassions over the past decade or so to hold exercises along the Columbia River near Castlegar, but that so far locals are telling them to do their invasion exercises on the other side of the 49th. Apparently they, US military, once approached local regional district reps, perhaps under the illusion that Canadians, like (add your own example), especially those who live in rural areas, would organize a nice welcoming event. Makes you wonder if they have given up on that dream considering the welcome they are now dealing with in Iraq.

They've been here all along. After WW 2 the US Army Corps of Engineers came over the border in civilian clothes (because by international law if they had come in uniform it would have been an "invasion"). They located and mapped EVERY major water source in the province... during Viet Nam there were several well reported incidences of U.S. FBI spooks coming to Canada to arrest and return "draft dodgers"...they did not go through proper channels, they just hustled them back across the border...one case involved a kid who had been born in Canada and had been taken south by his mom, who had married an american when the kid was about five or six... he came "home" , was living in Richmond and the FBI scooped him... the entire illegal thing aided and abetted by the Queen's Cowboys... in many ways we are not very different than Panama; our feds march to the beat of the U.S. drummer and we can either watch the parade and applaud dutifully or.... write to the Tyee, I guess./// People who are regulars to this paper know I'm quite prepared to sign on to almost any consiracy theory (just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean I have no reason to be!!), but with regard to the Kootenays...I've heard and read accounts of hikers being confronted by guys in black uniforms, armed with "machine guns", talking with yank accents, telling Canadian citizens they aren't allowed to go any further along a path on Canadian soil.. other reports of a network of tunnels to make troop conveys quicker and easier. Why not? When you're the biggest bully in town and have made enemies for years, you probably don't sleep very well and are willing to spend untold billions on hare-brained schemes.// Sic transit gloria doesn't mean Gloria puked on the skytrain, eh.

What is an american railway doing in British Columbia ?

Anyone thinking of an 'outing' would be wise to investigate the ongoing, but low key activities at the old Port Police Office across the tracks from Columbia Street in Gastown. This site has another advantage of being on Federal Land (not part of the city). For our official US readers, I'd better add the Seinfeld caveat, "not that there's anything wrong with that" In fact I welcome whoever is using this building, they are much quieter than their Port neighbours!

And the Americans were amassed along the border ready to invade Canada during the FLQ crisis way back when. That is the real reason Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act --to take away the "excuse" that the Yanks might conveniently use to invade and take us over to "protect" us from ourselves, like they did in Chile a few years later. God help us if Bush wins again. We really need to get rid of 'oiligarchy' and corporate psychopaths. You should see what they've done to my hometown! Where's the Guillotine when you really need it?

The DEA and related US organizations have been here for some time. In 1998, the bust of "Crosstown Traffic Cafe" and many other pot dealers was headed up by US Naval Intelligence with the aid of the DEA in Vancouver. The problem with the DEA and other organizations in BC is the one sidedness with which they persecute. Pot is near the top of the DEA hit list, with far more concern about a pound of pot going to Seattle than the pound of cocaine or box of guns coming back the other way. This is, at best, imprecise logic, and at worst, a conscious decision to continue the illegal drug trade with the US. Perhaps the DEA thinks coke and guns are better off up here.

Could I get the exact address please as it is getting cold and I need a comfy waiting room in which to blow a fatty whilst I warm my chilly toes.

The DEA are like the S.S. in Nazi Germany. Sooner, rather than later, they will be tried in Nuremburg-like trials--where "I was just doing my job" was not seen to be a justifiable defence for the wholesale slaughter and destruction of innocent lives for the crime of being Jewish, Gay or--God Forbid!--a drug user. Dick Armitage is a twit and should play more golf! Peace

DICKENS

Let's face it. We are colonized by the US government, thanks to Mulroney. Isn't it great?

With all this illicit revenue flowing back to me I bought new shoes! I love this town!!!! Alahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Meanwhile Canada has RCMP in about a dozen countries working with police there to track organized crime rings. If the DEA agents overstep the law purposely here they should get the boot. Almost everytime someone buys a bag of “weed” and certainly any hard drug they are supporting organized crime and even if we legalized everything here, the organized criminals won’t go away nor will the junkie stealing from your car. When I grew up weed was referred to “ditchweed” and much of it was grown by individuals for their own use and a few sales to their friends. Modern pot is far more powerful and run almost exclusively by organized crime. A few other nasty facts. While doing rescue work, we used to call the Fraser river “the Hells Angels retirement home” and I used to see people suffering chest pains and coughing up blood from smoking pot, because it was laced with Strychnine to create more of a buzz! If you smoke pot you better give your head a shake because the people who sell it to you don’t give a damm about you or your family. I had four friends from high school die of drug OD’s all them started out by using pot and moving up to harder drugs, as did many other people I know who either mange to break free or our now wasting away somewhere. Drug dealers are scum who will destroy your life and the people who love you to put money in their pockets.