Pubdate: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Peter O'Neil, Vancouver Sun LIBERALS HAVE GONE TO POT TO RENEW PARTY IN THE WEST Party Hopes Legalization Will Resonate in Alberta and B.C. A new spirit of openness and a policy in favour of legalizing and regulating pot will help breathe life into the Liberal party in Western Canada, party members said Sunday after Liberals launched a new process for the selection of a Canadian political leader. But the dominant Canadian party of the 20th century did little on the policy front over the weekend to answer questions about where it stands on major Canadian issues, including Enbridge Inc.'s Northern Gateway pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to the B.C. northern coast. "I guess the main thing I'd say to Albertans and British Columbians is, 'C'mon in,' " said Liberal interim leader Bob Rae, who sent clear signals to Liberals throughout the weekend he's considering a bid in 2013 to become permanent leader. "There's lots of room for you in terms of creating policy and building our policies with respect to . the economy of Western Canada," he told reporters at the conclusion of the three-day convention. Rae was referring to the party's decision to follow the lead of the Alberta Liberal party and create a new class of members - a sort of "member lite" called a "supporter" - who wouldn't have to pay a fee but would have several privileges, including the ability to vote in next year's leadership race. The process received the necessary two-thirds support from those among the 3,200 registered delegates who voted. Some Liberals warned that the party is creating a huge risk that the process could be abused, both by opportunists signing up "instant Liberals" and by political opponents seeking to sabotage the next leadership race. But others argued the Liberals, who won just 34 seats in the May election and only four in the West, must take chances. Delegates took one risk Sunday by endorsing a non-binding recommendation that the party support legalizing marijuana use and regulating its distribution. "Let's face up to it Canada, the war on drugs has been a complete bust," Rae told cheering delegates, although he said later he'd have to engage in consultations before deciding how the resolution will be shaped into policy. The party took a more moderate stand on another provocative resolution, with a clear majority rejecting a call from Liberal youth to abolish the monarchy. And they also rejected a proposed U.S.-style primary system where leadership votes would take place over a period of time in various Canadian regions. On public policy matters, the Liberals adopted a resolution calling on the Harper government to launch a "comprehensive public assessment of the environmental, economic and social impacts of the oilsands developments immediately." Alberta Liberal delegate Zack Seizmagraff said the resolution is in no way a threat to the industry, saying the goal is to assess environmental impacts "and then hope-fully be proactive in negating those through future technologies." Both Seizmagraff and former Liberal MP David Anderson predicted that Albertans and British Columbians will find some favour with the pot policy. "There's a libertarian streak in Alberta, and in the West, and I think a lot of people will look at that and say it just makes sense," Seizmagraff said. But there seemed to be divisions emerging between Albertans and British Columbians on the Northern Gateway project. Rae said before the convention that the party's position on the project is, like B.C. Premier Christy Clark's, to wait for the late-2013 decision of the National Energy Board (NEB). But in the last election, former leader Michael Ignatieff spoke against the project, saying Liberals support the four-decade ban on crude oil tankers using northern B.C.'s inland waters. "Enbridge has not made its case here. It's going through a review, it's got to persuade aboriginal Canadians, it's got to persuade the NEB, and we're saying, 'You haven't proven your case and we're maintaining that tanker ban because we don't think this can be done safely'," Ignatieff said during the campaign. Rae said his wait-and-see position is consistent with Ignatieff's. He said the NEB is looking at major issues such as environmental impact and aboriginal land claims, as well as alternative ways to get bitumen to the West Coast for shipment to Asian markets. "So to think . if I may borrow the expression from the prime minister, that this is just a slam dunk or a no-brainer, would be completely, completely wrong," he said. "There are major issues that have to be dealt with. We're a party that believes in facts and evidence, we're interested in hearing and watching the process and understanding that process. We continue to have very profound concerns about the environmental impacts of the pipeline." Anderson, the former environment minister, said he isn't troubled by Rae's position, but said it's "unlikely" a Liberal government would support Northern Gateway. Seizmagraff said most Alberta Liberals are "absolutely" in favour of the $5.5-billion project. "We're all for new markets," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.