Pubdate: Mon, 05 Aug 2013
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2013 The Calgary Sun
Contact: http://www.calgarysun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.calgarysun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Author: Monte Solberg

UP IN SMOKE

Trudeau likes the idea of legalizing pot, but hasn't answered the 
hard questions

I have peered into the future and Justin Trudeau was nowhere in 
sight. Not true. I could make him out vaguely through a cloud of 
sweet-smelling smoke. He seemed relaxed.

The good news is he wasn't at 24 Sussex Drive. The bad news is I only 
looked ahead a month. If I'm a mystic, I'm a minor mystic. I have 
weak and unreliable powers but occasionally I guess correctly; kind 
of like a pollster but without the appearance of being scientific.

But let's start by predicting the past. We know Justin has famously 
called for the full legalization of marijuana. Good. Very groovy 
politics. Young people and old hipsters finally have someone they can 
totally relate to. You can almost hear them saying, "Justin gets me." 
Sadly, however, they are also the folks most likely to forget to vote.

Hey, I get the arguments for legalization. Who isn't tired of the war 
on drugs? War is such a downer. Then, of course, Justin tells us that 
legalization would mean we could license, tax and control marijuana. 
He tells us we would keep it out of the hands of young people.

Wow, that sounds terrific. And then, of course, anytime someone says 
it's about freedom I stand and salute. How can you be against 
freedom? But when you look closely at the idea of legalization, 
problems sprout up like so much B.C. bud in a Surrey grow-op.

For instance, if it was legalized, why wouldn't people just grow it 
at home to avoid the taxes. It's not as though growing it is difficult.

Wouldn't that in turn mean more access for young people? What about 
the difficulties around impaired driving? It's already difficult for 
the police to test for drug impairment. Wouldn't legalizing marijuana 
compound the problem? Then, of course, there's that small issue of 
how this would be viewed by our neighbours to the south.

Crossing the border is already a major and costly hassle. But 
legalize pot and we go from hassle to the snap of the rubber glove 
and massive queues at borders and airports.

Justin hasn't addressed any of those hard questions and that's the 
way with Justin. He called for legalization and then vanished in that 
cloud of controversial smoke. The questions hang in the air never to 
be answered because he has already moved on to even newer things.

Next he will declare the Arctic should be carbon free, no one should 
be mean, we should start every day by looking at a picture of a pony, 
we should imagine world peace, we should like the UN on Facebook.

He will drift on the lazy current of progressive opinion, giving off 
positive vibes and thinking good thoughts, but without ever 
explaining or engaging on the facts.

Nor will he seriously take up the mundane issues at the centre of 
western civilization. We know what he thinks about marijuana, but 
what about the economy, productivity, national security or safe 
streets? Some things are just way too boring and complicated.

Much better to flit in and out like a charming, mischievous elf; 
majoring on the minors, thrilling liberals and, in every sense, 
stirring the pot.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom