Pubdate: Tue, 19 Sep 2000
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact:  1101 Baxter Rd.,Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 3M4
Fax: 613-596-8522
Website: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/

DAY SEEKS FREE VOTE ON DRUG LEGALIZATION

MPs from all parties back controversial proposal

Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day has called for a Commons debate over
the legalization of drugs followed by a free vote for all MPs on the
controversial issue.

Supported in differing degrees by MPs from all parties, Mr. Day said it's
time Parliament tackled the relationship between illegal drugs and organized
crime.

``I think that debate on legalization of drugs should take place and it
should take place in the House of Commons, and it should go ahead with a
free vote,'' Mr. Day said in response to questions at a news conference in
which he addressed a range of topics.

``The Canadian Alliance position is clearly to allow for that legalization
related to the alleviation of pain and for medicinal purposes,'' added Mr.
Day.

MPs from other parties, reacting in part to a series of Citizen stories
exploring the cost and effect of the war on drugs led primarily by the
United States, agreed it is time Canadian lawmakers debated what only a few
years ago might have been considered unthinkable by mainstream politicians.

``One thing is very clear, the intensification of the effort to deal with
organized crime and shut down illegal drugs has not been a success in the
U.S. and it makes no sense for us to just simply go down the same road,''
said NDP leader Alexa McDonough.

``We're willing to debate whatever will get us through a solution here and
that means needing to have sound initiatives put forward by the government,
and it means having the evidence to guide us in decisions we make,'' Ms.
McDonough added.

Organized crime and the related question of illegal drugs, which the RCMP
says are the main source of revenue for most crime groups, were central to
much of the activity on Parliament Hill yesterday when the Commons resumed
after its summer recess.

The Bloc Quebecois, in response to the gangland-style shooting of a Montreal
crime reporter last week, successfully steered a motion calling for a new
law against criminal gangs onto the Commons floor for a special debate.

In the Senate, Conservative and Liberal members of a special committee
struck to study drug legalization held a planning meeting for hearings that
are to begin Monday. Tory Senator Pierre-Claude Nolin, who persuaded the
Senate to launch the inquiry, is on record as saying the law that makes
marijuana possession a criminal offence should be withdrawn.

MPs who were interviewed about the question of drug legalization avoided
taking a stand, but said the topic should be aired.

``Any time that we have an opportunity to discuss something as topical and
as serious as drug use, particularly the perpetration of organized crime in
dealing drugs, we should certainly do that on the floor of the House of
Commons,'' said Conservative MP Peter MacKay, the party's justice critic and
a former Crown prosecutor.

Liberal MP Paul Szabo, who chaired a Commons committee that five years ago
studied drug laws in Canada, flatly dismissed the idea, saying: ``This is a
non-starter, it's a non-starter for me.''

Mr. Szabo said the committee he led in 1995 heard arguments in favour of
drug legalization but ``the evidence, not just anecdotal evidence from
people and how they feel, but rather from health experts, from social
experts, were in total consensus that this would be a terrible direction to
go in and consider. The government agreed and I'm sure the government still
agrees.''

Government House Leader Don Boudria was unwilling even to discuss the idea
of a debate. Asked whether he thought the Commons should take it up, Mr.
Boudria replied ``not particularly,'' and quickly walked off.

Ottawa Centre Liberal Mac Harb, however, who has tabled a private member's
bill calling for legalized prostitution in designated red-light districts
under government control, agreed a debate should be held.

``Absolutely,'' said Mr. Harb. ``I have my share of problems (with drugs) in
downtown Ottawa, and I think it's the same situation all across the
country.''

Bloc MP Yvan Loubier, who sought police protection last year because of
threats from underground marijuana growers in his riding, said he supports a
debate and is willing to entertain drug legalization if the benefits can be
shown.

``If the proof is given that it would contribute to crack the criminal
organizations, I think I would support it, but at the moment, I don't have
the proof,'' said Mr. Loubier.
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