Pubdate: Wed, 04 Mar 2015
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Mark Kennedy
Page: B2

TICKETING FOR POT POSSESSION ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RADAR

OTTAWA - With just 12 weeks left before Parliament shuts down for an
election, the Conservative government is considering introducing a
bill to let police issue tickets to people caught with small amounts
of marijuana, instead of laying criminal charges.

The potential legislative change is in the hands of Justice Minister
Peter MacKay, who has spoken strongly about the dangers of marijuana
use.

The government has not made a final decision on the proposed change.
As well, it isn't clear if it would introduce a bill in the current
Parliament, which ends in June, or make it a campaign promise in the
fall election.

But what is significant, Tories say, is that the idea is still on the
government's "radar" as it prepares for re-election. It is looking for
a marijuana proposal to contrast with the position of Liberal leader
Justin Trudeau, who would legalize pot.

The proposed ticketing change was advocated two years ago by the
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), and has the support
of a group of former police officers in the Conservative caucus.

They say police are hamstrung because they have only two options if
they find someone with a small amount of pot: ignore it and let the
person go; or lay a criminal charge that creates more paperwork for
police and increases delays in an overburdened court system.

Anyone found guilty of possessing a small quantity of marijuana for
the first time can get a criminal record and potentially face a $1,000
fine and/or up to six months in jail.

The CACP is urging the justice minister to amend the Controlled Drugs
and Substances Act to provide police with the "discretionary option"
of issuing a ticket for simple possession of cannabis (30 grams or
less of marijuana or one gram or less of cannabis resin) in cases
where a criminal charge "would not be in the public interest."

"Our government is still considering changes to the Controlled Drugs
and Substances Act (CDSA) aimed at creating a new ticketing proposal
for possession of small quantities of cannabis," said a statement
issued by his office. "We do not support making access to illegal
drugs easier. To be clear, any proposed changes would not
decriminalize or legalize cannabis possession in Canada whatsoever,
but support law enforcement's efforts to efficiently deal with
possession of these illicit drugs."

Clive Weighill, president of CACP, said his group is looking for ways
to "streamline policing costs."

"I think the world has really changed on this," said Weighill, who is
Saskatoon's chief of police. "I think a lot of the judges right now
are loath to give someone a criminal record because the police find
him in possession of a couple of joints."

The law, he said, puts police officers "in a very tough situation" on
how to exercise their discretion.

"If you stop a vehicle and one person has a couple of joints in their
pocket and the other person has open liquor, you give the person with
open liquor a ticket. And yet what do you do with the person with the
two joints? Do you charge them criminally? Do you let them off?"

Conservative Sen. Vern White, a former Ottawa chief of police, said he
fully supports the proposed change.

"Don't get me wrong. If it is a guy with 15 joints in his pocket in a
high school parking lot, I'm going to charge him criminally."

"But if we're talking about a guy with a couple of joints or a joint,
do we really want to bring them through the criminal process?"

White said tickets would serve as a deterrent.
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