Pubdate: Thu, 08 Nov 2012
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Sandra McCulloch

SEWAGE, POT HOT TOPICS FOR CANDIDATES

An overflow crowd of voters quizzed the four major candidates vying 
for the federal seat representing Victoria on Wednesday night.

People filled every chair in the James Bay New Horizons auditorium. 
Others stood around the room or sat on the floor while those turned 
away for lack of space huddled around open windows and listened from the lawn.

At the meeting were Donald Galloway of the Green Party, Dale Gann of 
the Conservatives, Murray Rankin of the NDP and Paul Summerville of 
the Liberals.

Philip Ney of the Christian Heritage party and Art Lowe of the 
Libertarian party are also on the ballot but didn't take part in the event.

The byelection, set for Nov. 26, is to replace NDP MP Denise Savoie, 
who stepped down in August, citing health reasons.

On the topic of sewage, Gann said he supports a treatment plant in 
Victoria. "I don't think it's acceptable for sewage to be going into 
the beautiful Strait of Juan de Fuca," he said.

Rankin said he supports sewage treatment, but that he's not buying 
the specifics of the current plan.

"I think we need to be more cost-effective ... but I do think it's 
time to get on with this in this community," he said.

Any decisions on sewage-treatment options should be based on science, 
Galloway said. "We don't know enough about pollution in the Juan de 
Fuca Strait to justify spending $1 billion."

Summerville opposed enhanced sewage treatment, saying there are many 
myths about Victoria's system of screening effluent through the outfall.

"Raw sewage is not pumped into our harbour - that's a complete myth," 
he said. "That's the problem with politics and policy that's based on 
image and not science."

A question from the audience addressed the related issue of pollution 
from cruise ships.

Galloway said that in a single day, one cruise ship generates 21,000 
gallons of sewage, a tonne of garbage, 170,000 gallons of wasted 
water, up to 6,400 gallons of oily bilge water and four plastic 
bottles per passenger.

"We don't have any clear regulation at the moment, but we have plenty 
of information," he said.

Summerville said cruise companies will do what they can to be 
profitable. "We have to regulate companies effectively to make them 
conform to best practices."

If elected, Rankin said, he would work to amend the Canada Shipping 
Act to prevent cruise ships from polluting B.C. waters.

A day after Washington and Colorado voted to legalize the 
recreational use of marijuana, the candidates were asked their views.

The NDP supports the decriminalization of pot, Rankin said.

"It's a tragedy that so many young people have criminal records ... 
for possessions of small amounts of marijuana."

Summerville said the war on drugs has failed. "You want to legalize 
marijuana because you want to move the business from the criminals to 
businesses and government," he said. "You want to regulate marijuana 
so the nasty pushers don't stick stuff in there that addicts people."

Commercializing marijuana also means "you come into a lot of money," he said.

But Galloway said marijuana is a health issue.

"We definitely don't want to think about making money from drugs and 
drug use," he said.

"We have to think about creating a healthy environment in this 
country and that requires regulating marijuana in a way that promotes 
the health. We want to take care of the children we are bringing up."

Gann asked how many people supported the decriminalization of 
marijuana. About 90 per cent raised their hands.

"As a father, I don't want to see my son sitting around smoking 
marijuana," he said. "However, as your representative, I'm supposed 
to ask you that question and carry that voice to Ottawa."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom