Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 Source: Bowen Island Undercurrent (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Black Press Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/hBvhPnMA Website: http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/bowenislandundercurrent/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3852 Author: John Weston MP RESPONDS TO LETTER Re: Letter to editor, January 15, 2010, "Convenient timing for proroguing Parliament" Bill Forst appears to endorse my private member's bill for which I'm grateful, but regrettably he misconstrues the effect of proroguing. As Mr. Forst says, the bill, C-475, tackles crystal meth and ecstasy drugs, and has attracted nationwide support, from a vast array of people: police and drug treatment experts on Bowen Island, the West Vancouver Police Department, national/provincial law enforcement officers, teachers and educators from across the riding that I represent, as well as numerous municipal councillors, mayors, regional district leaders. I am honoured to announce that the BC Association of Chiefs recently passed a motion in support of this bill. Happily, the other federal parties appeared to also support the bill, by their initial comments, when I introduced the Bill in the House last November. Furthermore, contrary to what Mr. Forst wrote, private member bills will continue unchanged into the next session of the House. For more information on this bill or to sign the petition in support, please visit www.johnweston.ca Through the Olympic and Paralympic Games, my team and I will be working hard with constituents to leverage the five benefits readers have emphasized - one benefit for each of the Olympic circles: business, investment, tourism, foreign students studying in Canada, and personal health and fitness (Martha Perkins, "How do you catch the spirit," Undercurrent, January 8th). The January 12th town hall, which attracted several people from Bowen Island, allowed panellists to "Catch the Spirit" with us: Steve Podborski, moderator and one of the Crazy Canucks; Annamay Pierse, Olympic athlete; John Weston, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver - - Sunshine Coast - Sea-to-Sky Country; Senator Nancy Greene Raine, former Olympic gold medalist and Canada's female athlete of the century; Minister of State for Sport, Gary Lunn; and Paralympic athlete, Andrea Holmes. John Weston Member of Parliament - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D