Pubdate: Tue, 29 Apr 2003
Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 The Chilliwack Progress
Contact:  http://www.theprogress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/562
Author: Margaret Evans

SECOND-HAND SMOKE

So the U.S. is grumbling at Canada again.

Apparently, Tom Riley, public affairs director for the White House office 
of drug control policy is upset that our Federal Justice Minister Martin 
Cauchon hasn't consulted with the Americans about his plans to introduce 
legislation to the House of Commons later this spring to relax Canada's 
marijuana laws.

Now Mr. Riley's all riled up. His mutterings have included less than veiled 
threats that should Canada go ahead to decriminalize possession of less 
than 30 grams of marijuana, it would trigger greater security checks for 
border-crossing Canadians. Stern words also spewed from the Center for 
International and Strategic Studies in Washington where a spokesperson 
alluded to the fact that there's no room for persuasion down there and that 
it would be "very damaging" if Canada chose to go ahead.

According to newswire reports, the rant in Washington is that the passage 
of this legislation would be akin to Canada unilaterally establishing "open 
air toxic waste sites" along the border. Mr. Riley doesn't explain that 
leap of logic and Justice Minister Cauchon hasn't sidetracked south to 
check it out.

In September 2002, the Canadian Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs 
recommended legalizing the use of marijuana by adults. The report, the 
result of a two-year study of public policy on the use of the drug, stated 
that the current system of prohibition in Canada does not work and should 
be replaced by a regulated system. The 600-page report based its findings 
on thorough research, analysis and extensive public hearings with input 
from experts and citizens.

 From that study came the justice minister's cautious step forward in a new 
direction to introduce legislation that would decriminalize small amounts 
of pot for personal use. Washington tore it's hair out and now, apparently, 
wants to threaten our heads too.

But this issue isn't just about marijuana. It's bigger than this.

It's the notion that Washington assumes the need, even the right, to be 
consulted by Canada about pending legislation that affects our sovereign laws.

How this sits with many Canadians is far from comfortable. Like any 
country, we've got our fair share of no-brainer laws. How we choose to deal 
with them, change them, dump them out or improve them is a matter for 
Canadians and our law-makers. Not foreigners.

Perhaps, in more amicable times, it may have been useful to discuss changes 
to our laws with neighbours, or significant others. But regardless of 
outside opinion, once legislation is introduced, voted on, and passed or 
defeated, it is done so according to Canada's interests and the will of the 
Canadians. Not foreigners.

Washington is a temperamental town with a history of nasty rivalries and 
less-than-patient egos. If it did once have more benign tolerance, the Iraq 
attack seems to have changed all that, setting political tolerance at an 
all-time zero. Sniping at anyone who doesn't agree with its linear thinking 
has become modus operandi as it shoots to re-shape the world in its own image.

The problem with this is countries of the world have their own ideas about 
their own image. Especially Canada. The decision of the justice minister to 
move forward with new legislation will be controversial and will stir up 
heated debate, to say the least. But it will be a Canadian debate. It will 
be a step in a new direction to reflect what he believes to be good policy 
for Canadians.

Mr. Riley and his Canada-bashing brigade will just have to deal with that.

C'est la vie.
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MAP posted-by: Beth