Pubdate: Wed, 17 Oct 2012
Source: Nelson Star (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Black Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/4kNvY8sy
Website: http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/nelsonstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4866
Author: Megan Cole
Cited: Stop the Violence BC: http://stoptheviolencebc.org/

STOP THE VIOLENCE GAINS TRACTION AT COUNCIL

Stop the Violence BC was back at the Nelson city council table last 
week as politicians passed a motion to support the Union of British 
Columbia Municipalities resolution.

The resolution that was passed in Victoria at the annual convention 
in late-September read, "that UBCM call on the appropriate government 
to decriminalize marijuana and research the regulation and taxation 
of marijuana."

"I'm very satisfied with the outcome," said councillor Donna 
Macdonald who brought a motion on Stop the Violence BC to council in 
June. "I think the discussion and debate at the UBCM gave comfort to 
some of the councillors who were struggling with this motion previously."

When the motion was brought forward in June, Macdonald was hoping 
council and Mayor John Dooley would write a letter in support of the 
Stop the Violence BC campaign.

The campaign promotes evidence-based information for the 
decriminalization and legalization of marijuana.

The motion faced opposition in June when it was presented. A heated 
debate and conversation errupted around the council table.

The scene was different last week and there was little conversation 
as Macdonald presented an amended motion, which was passed by council.

"I would say the content of the new motion is very much the same," 
said Macdonald. "I just reframed the motion to reflect the resolution 
from the UBCM convention."

The motion was that council endorse the resolution passed by the UBCM.

Dooley, who said he would "go to the wall" if council passed the 
original motion, said he wished it had gone to UBCM in the first place.

"That is where I really wanted it to go," he said following last 
week's council meeting. "I spoke to it at the time the original 
motion was presented and councillor [Robin] Cherbo did as well, and I 
think the outcome was good."

Many of the questions presented at the June council meeting were 
brought up in September at the UBCM convention, and Dooley felt they 
would be addressed as the conversation continues.

"It's one of those issues that people are going to want to hear 
answers to as to how it impacts them directly," he said.

Some of the questions Dooley believes will come up from the public 
are on actual costs saved by decriminalization and legalization for 
policing, and if municipalities would actually see a return on the taxation.

"We know from experience that taxation collected by the province and 
the feds generally doesn't filter back to municipalities and if it 
does we know it's about eight cents on every dollar that is collected 
that actually gets back to us," he said.

As for the next steps, Dooley said "don't hold your breath" about 
seeing change with the current federal government.

"I'm glad we're having the conversation and it is in the right forum 
now," he said. "They have experience, the funds and will be able to 
get the right people involved to move the province to looking at it 
and in turn moving the feds to looking at it is well, but it's not 
likely they'll budge on this."

Macdonald agreed that change isn't likely given the current 
Conservative government, but said eventually government will need to 
reflect the building momentum from the grassroots.

"Certainly we have heard Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper say he's not 
interested, so that's fine," she said. "There will be a federal 
election at some point. The government could change. I'm not 
expecting the law to change in the next year or so, I don't think 
anyone is, but change is brewing and the government will have to take 
notice eventually."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom