Pubdate: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 Source: Recorder & Times, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2014 Recorder and Times Contact: http://www.recorder.ca/letters Website: http://www.recorder.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2216 Author: Nick Gardiner Page: A1 POT STANCE NOT LOCAL 'DETERRENT' Area residents will be polled for their reaction to federal Liberal policies prior to an election but riding president Ross Howard does not foresee a backlash over leader Justin Trudeau's support for legalizing marijuana. "I don't believe his stance on marijuana and other policies are going to be a deterrent," said Howard, one day after the riding's annual general meeting in Brockville where two candidates, Kyle Johnston, 27, and Josh Bennett, 38, were introduced to an audience of more than 100 people. Howard said Trudeau has proven his local popularity during two visits to Brockville before winning the party's leadership. "We had quite a big rally at St. Lawrence College," said Howard, referring to a February 2013 visit where Trudeau spoke with local high school students. Three months earlier during a more prolonged stop at the home of Dr. Andy Jordan, whose father, the late Jim Jordan, and brother Joe held the riding for a combined 18 years from 1988 to 2005, Trudeau encountered an adoring crowd of supporters. Candidate Johnston, of Spencerville cited Jim Jordan's leadership as an asset to emulate because he reflected the will of the riding, even if it conflicted with national policy. "Jim Jordan was always there for the riding even i f that went against the party," said Johnston. But he did not dismiss Trudeau's support for legalizing pot and said he intends to form a task force during the nomination process to determine priority issues for the riding and ensure "we have a mandate going into the election in 2015." Fellow-candidate Bennett of Prescott said he believes there is "a lot more support than would be expected" for legalizing marijuana and he sees many advantages including the ability to regulate the drug and reduce the influence of criminal gangs. But Bennett maintains pot should not be available for young people because there brains are still developing and vulnerable. Taxes from legal sales could be used to fund education programs directed at keeping young people from taking up the habit. "I don't promote the smoking of marijuana, just like I don't promote smoking tobacco or excessive drinking of alcohol. But they are legal and regulated and I believe we can do the same with marijuana." Bennett said his priorities for the riding include promoting tax breaks to help attract industry from larger centres, creating teams of politicians and business leaders to aggressively sell the region's benefits to targetted firms and trade shows and bringing civility back to politics. Johnston has some similar objectives that include generating "career-job creation rather than short-term jobs" and working with political and business leaders to enhance the community's well-being. "Governments don't create private sector jobs but we can create opportunity," he said. Rebuilding the Liberal brand in the riding is also key, Johnston said, adding he will pursue economic development, affordable housing, access to services and agriculture and tourism. Riding president Ross Howard said the large turnout for the meeting is encouraging. While he and other senior executive members were returned to their positions through acclamation, Howard noted the executive membership was expanded with more representation from the outer regions of the riding. In a special presentation, Brockville lawyer Duncan Fraser was presented with an honourary lifetime position as a director of the riding association to recognize the decades of work for the Liberals in Leeds and Grenville. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt