Pubdate: Thu, 29 May 2003
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2003 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.fyiwinnipeg.com/winsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Sun Media

GRIT MPS FUMING OVER POT PROPOSAL

Angry Liberals Lash Out

OTTAWA -- Canada's new pot bill came under continued attack yesterday, with 
some backbench Liberal MPs questioning their government's priorities.

A handful of frustrated Liberals lashed out against the plan to 
decriminalize small amounts of marijuana -- a move they say sends mixed 
messages to youth and fails to address the dangers of drug-impaired drivers.

A fuming Scarborough Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis suggested the marijuana 
bill is one more signal that Prime Minister Jean Chretien should vacate his 
post early -- and "the sooner the better."

"After 10 years of being in power, he's forgotten the dynamics of 
democracy, the dynamics of listening to the caucus," he said.

In the Commons, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon was grilled again by 
opposition members as well as a colleague in his own Liberal caucus. His 
plan to decriminalize up to 15 grams of weed would result in fines of $150 
for adults and $100 for youth.

London MP Joe Fontana called drug-impaired driving a "serious concern" and 
raised concerns the bill would encourage marijuana users to toke and drive.

"If we can't get the amendments that I think are appropriate, I'll vote 
against it."

Cauchon stressed that drug-impaired driving is already a serious criminal 
offence but admitted there is no valid test to measure impairment.

TESTS UNDERWAY

Tests are underway in B.C. and will be speeded up to result in amendments 
to the Criminal Code, he said. Blood and physical behaviour tests will help 
enforce the law, but Cauchon couldn't say if they would be in place by the 
time legislation is passed.

"Tests have already been tested in B.C. before some courts," he said. "We 
need fine tuning, we need to work with police organizations on the training 
side as well, and I will table a proposal to my colleagues this fall."

But Ontario Liberal MP Janko Peric vowed to oppose the bill and questioned 
the government's priorities. Why, he asked, are some Liberals focusing on 
relaxing penalties for marijuana instead of other important issues like 
going after sex offenders.

"Who is that who is pushing that, and what kinds of drugs are they using?"
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart