Canada tries to rein in biker gang

He says the Canadian Hell's Angels are far more organized than those in the United States. "In the States there is still this myth of the easy rider. They're the bad boys, the rogues who might drink too much booze, but not organized criminals," Mr. Sher says. "In Canada, they are now recognized as not only criminal, but as the only national organized crime group in the country."

In Ontario, the Hell's Angels have been trying to fight this image, engaging in a public-relations war in the wake of more than 10 years of bad publicity in Quebec. They've donated money to local children's charities and had their pictures taken shaking the hands of local politicians.

Donny Petersen, Ontario spokesman for the Hell's Angels, says he's a typical member. "I'm 56 years old and I've been a biker for most of my life. And I don't have a criminal record. I think that tells you everything you need to know," Mr. Petersen says, "We don't engage in violence. That just boggles my mind that people think we do."

But Detective Sgt. Scott Mills of the Ontario Provincial Police says the Hell's Angels are remaking themselves in a bid to protect several billion dollars in illicit profits from drugs, pornography, and prostitution. "These guys look more like bankers than bikers these days," he says. "They're constantly evolving, trying to protect their franchise."

Provincial police have recently banded together in a bid to stem the rapid advance of the Hell's Angels franchise. Hoping to thwart the kind of bloodletting that Quebec saw, 18 law- enforcement units have united to combat motorcycle gangs.

In Winnipeg, Manitoba, where new Hell's Angels chapters are also assembling, the official mood has been decidedly more confrontational. Since 2001, there have been more than dozen gang-related attempted murders, and three unsolved murders said to be linked to the Angels.

Manitoba has reacted by passing the toughest antigang laws in the country, designed to stop gang members from operating retail stores and wearing gang colors in bars. Nearly three weeks ago, the government also proposed new legislation, expected to pass, that would strip gang members of their assets even if they were not convicted of an offense.

Manitoba Justice Minister Gordon Mackintosh makes no apologies for what his government is doing. "Our approach is to help create a hostile environment for organized crime in this province," Mr. Mackintosh says.

At the federal level, Ottawa enacted Bill C-24 about a year ago to give police and prosecutors powers to crack down on organized crime. These include meting out heftier sentences for those convicted, and stronger protection for witnesses and jurors. Police also have new powers to commit crimes, such as purchasing drugs, during undercover operations.

Sher welcomes these measures. "This is not a Hollywood movie where the good guys win," he says. "We don't know who is going to win overall. We should all be concerned."

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