Pubdate: Thu, 29 Sep 2005
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2005 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Tim Naumetz, CanWest News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

MARIJUANA LAW LIKELY TO DIE AGAIN

OTTAWA - The Commons justice committee is unlikely to deal with the 
government's controversial bill decriminalizing marijuana before the 
federal election, the committee's chairman says.

Liberal MP John Maloney said yesterday he wants the committee to give 
priority to another half-dozen criminal justice bills before tackling 
Bill C-17, which will take possession of small amounts of cannabis 
out of the Criminal Code and make it a minor, ticketable offence.

"We all know there is an election pending, it could be this fall, it 
could be next March," Mr. Maloney said. "I would rather try to 
dispose of legislation as quickly and as much as we could before an 
election, and hopefully get some of these bills into law."

The marijuana bill, which also contains tougher penalties for anyone 
who cultivates marijuana on a large scale for trafficking, was once a 
pride of the Liberal government and mentioned in two throne speeches. 
But it has died on the order paper twice since first being introduced 
by the former government of Jean Chretien.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman