Pubdate: Thu, 29 May 2003
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2003 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Paul Samyn

POT BILL FATE CONFRONTS LETHAL MIX OF DISSENT

Vocal Opposition Have Deep Concerns With Proposal

OTTAWA -- The Chretien government's bill to decriminalize marijuana is 
already in danger of dying on the order paper as it faces a potentially 
lethal mix of internal Liberal dissent and parliamentary deadlines.

Just one day after the Liberals introduced the landmark legislation, Grit 
backbenchers opposed to the pot bill were preparing for its burial.

And even those backing the bill were conceding an already heavy 
parliamentary agenda may make it impossible to pass it into law before the 
end of the year and a change in the Liberal leadership.

"It may not be stillborn but it certainly is not going to pass by the time 
we rise for the summer,'' said Sharon Carstairs, the cabinet minister 
charged with stickhandling the bill through the senate if it passes the 
Commons.

John Harvard, the Winnipeg MP who chairs the Western Liberal caucus, also 
has his doubts about whether the bill will be able to be passed as part of 
Prime Minister Jean Chretien's last hurrah before retiring.

"My guess is there would be a problem because I don't know whether the 
House is going to sit this fall, and if it does, whether it will sit for 
long,'' said Harvard, who backs the bill. "I would be quite surprised if we 
had a law like this by the end of the fall.'' The bill which would replace 
criminal sentences with fines for possession of small amounts of pot is 
facing two big hurdles. The first battle is within the Liberal caucus where 
a vocal minority of backbenchers have deep concerns with the proposed law.

Toronto-area Liberal MP Joe Volpe said the bill appeared to come "out of 
the blue'' and sends a confusing message to Canadians.

"Don't use it (pot) but it is OK if you do,'' Volpe said. "I don't know 
what the message is we want to give but it certainly is not a good one.''

But the second and deeper problem for the bill is that Chretien's reign is 
running out of time. The latest the Commons can sit this spring before 
breaking for summer is June 20. But the three remaining weeks of the 
session are already jammed tight with a number of other big pieces of 
legislation that Chretien has made a priority, such as changes to the 
Indian Act, campaign finance reform and parliamentary ethics.

Parliament doesn't resume until Sept. 15 and there is growing concern 
Chretien might pull the plug on the session sometime this fall as his hold 
on power weakens and while the party continues its leadership contest which 
will be decided in Toronto Nov. 15.

St. Boniface MP Ray Simard said he has concerns about the bill and wants a 
full debate, including public hearings across the country. "It is dangerous 
to ram this thing through, I really think we should give it the time it 
deserves,'' Simard said.

Winnipeg South Grit MP Reg Alcock, who supports the bill, said even if the 
opposition was "half asleep they could delay this bill to the fall.''

And the Canadian Alliance is clearly taking aim at the bill.

"How can young people believe the minister's claims that drugs are harmful 
when he is making it easier for them to use them?'' asked Alliance critic 
Vic Toews (Provencher). "Why is the minister implementing a national drug 
strategy that tells Canadian youth it is okay to use drugs?''

Winnipeg South Centre Liberal MP Anita Neville said it is too early to say 
what will happen to the bill she backs.

A change in Liberal leadership is unlikely to change the government's view 
of the need to decriminalize marijuana as all three contenders for 
Chretien's job -- Paul Martin, Sheila Copps and Paul Martin -- support the 
bill's intent.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart