Pubdate: Thu, 12 Mar 2015
Source: Chief, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Whistler Printing & Publishing
Website: http://www.squamishchief.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2414
Author: Christine Endicott

JUSTICE UP IN SMOKE

THE ISSUE: Marijuana dispensaries

COMMENT: Let's be fair

No matter what you think of marijuana dispensaries, the RCMP crackdown
on the new shop in downtown Squamish creates a haze of discomfort
among those who believe in democracy.

Our society is built on a foundation of fairness, and our laws should
be upheld by police in a consistent manner across Canada. This means
that if you break the law by driving 180 km/h, you should be arrested
and charged, regardless of whether you are in Vancouver, Sechelt or
Squamish. To ignore the excessive speeders in Vancouver but charge
them in other parts of the province indicates inequity. Even if you
believe that Vancouver people are more stressed and have the need to
speed, you can't possibly believe they should be allowed to break the
law while others are arrested. Canada's democratic justice system is
built on this concept of fairness.

But when it comes to medical marijuana shops, the police in Canada are
being anything but fair.

In Vancouver, about 60 medical marijuana dispensaries are currently
operating, and some have operated for more than 15 years, according to
reports. Vancouver Police have been turning a blind eye to the
dispensaries, which are in a legal grey area in Canada. However, in
Sechelt, RCMP have cracked down on a planned dispensary, and RCMP are
now saying they plan to take action against Bryan Raiser, who in
February opened a storefront in downtown Squamish.

Raiser said he has been given until March 19 to close or face
consequences. He told The Squamish Chief this week he has not yet
decided what to do, as he wants to keep the shop open for patients who
need a safe supply of medical marijuana, but he said he cannot risk
losing his family and his house.

Even if you don't support the existence of medical marijuana shops,
the unfairness of closing dispensaries in Squamish and Sechelt while
turning a blind eye to the ones in Vancouver is unfair and wrong. Our
laws should apply equally, regardless of whether police are less busy
in quieter communities like Squamish.

These actions call into question the foundations of the Canadian
justice system. If police become too busy in Vancouver, will violent
crimes also be disregarded there? If police become bored here in
Squamish, will they start fining every jaywalker?

Where will we draw the line on judicial fairness? It's time to clear
the air.
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MAP posted-by: Matt