Pubdate: Fri, 11 Sep 2015 Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) Copyright: 2015 The Globe and Mail Company Contact: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168 Author: Ian Bailey Page: S1 COMMENTS ON POT PUT TRUDEAU ON THE SPOT A Liberal candidate in B.C. who suggested marijuana is harmless to children and reduces domestic violence quit the race on Thursday, creating a distraction for Justin Trudeau as he visited the province to promise money for transit projects and a ban on oil tankers off the northern coast. In a pair of campaign appearances, Mr. Trudeau faced questions about Joy Davies' comments on marijuana, and about Alberta candidate Chris Brown, in the spotlight over 2009 tweets about women. By Thursday afternoon, Ms. Davies was no longer the Liberal candidate for the riding of South Surrey-White Rock, making her the latest to leave the race over past incidents. Earlier this week, two Conservatives quit, one who was caught on camera urinating into a coffee cup in a customer's home while working as an appliance repairman and another who posted YouTube videos of himself making prank calls. Also, a senior aide to NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair had to apologize for past tweets that criticized the Roman Catholic church. The Huffington Post quoted Ms. Davies as saying second-hand marijuana smoke poses no risk to children and that babies born to mothers who consumed pot during pregnancy had higher IQs than babies whose mothers did not. She also suggested in past Facebook posts that the Canadian Cancer Society promotes the pharmaceutical industry and that pot reduces domestic violence, the Huffington Post reported. "After much consideration, I have decided to resign as the Liberal candidate for South SurreyWhite Rock, effective immediately," she wrote on Facebook. The Liberals condemned Ms. Davies' remarks and said they do not reflect the views of the party. At a morning event in Vancouver that was supposed to be about transit funding for the Vancouver area - a major issue in a region that has struggled to find money to pay for new trains and buses - Mr. Trudeau found himself fielding questions about Ms. Davies. "The Liberal Party took the position we have to control and regulate marijuana primarily for one reason - Mr. Harper's current approach is not protecting our children," Mr. Trudeau told reporters in Vancouver during a campaign announcement about transit funding. Mr. Trudeau was also forced to address questions about Mr. Brown, the Alberta candidate behind the profane tweets regarding women, who issued an apology through the Liberal Party. Mr. Brown, who is running in Peace River-Westlock, said he became dependent on alcohol, leading to a "complete lack of judgment while posting on social media," after his partner was killed by a drunk driver. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom