Pubdate: Fri, 02 Oct 2015
Source: Yukon News (CN YK)
Copyright: 2015 Yukon News
Contact:   http://www.yukon-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1125
Author: Ashley Joannou

LEEF TURNS HEADS WITH REMARKS ON MARIJUANA LAWS

Debt, decreasing job prospects and doobies were on the minds of high 
school students questioning politicians at Wednesday's federal election forum.

The loudest reaction from the crowd at F.H. Collins came when one 
student asked Conservative incumbent Ryan Leef, Liberal candidate 
Larry Bagnell, NDP candidate Melissa Atkinson and Green candidate 
Frank de Jong what their positions were on legalizing marijuana.

The biggest surprise of the forum came from Ryan Leef, who appeared, 
during the 60 seconds he had to answer the question, to support 
decriminalization.

"I don't think that Canadians in minor possession of marijuana should 
be caught up in the criminal justice system, and this is coming from 
a former police officer," Leef said. "I don't think we should be 
criminalizing Canadians for minor possession, plain and simple."

As things stand, possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana is treated 
as a lesser, summary conviction, while possession of larger amounts 
is treated as a more serious, indictable offence.

But this summary conviction is still dealt with by the courts, and 
can carry a maximum penalty of a fine of $1,000 and six months in jail.

When the News asked Leef to clarity his comment, he changed his 
position, essentially saying that he supported the status quo. "I'm 
in favour of ensuring that minor possession of marijuana is not 
treated as a criminal indictable offence," said Leef. "It should be, 
in my opinion, a summary conviction matter."

Leef went on to suggest, incorrectly, this would "effectively equate 
to a ticket." While this isn't true, Conservatives have toyed with 
the idea of allowing police to issue tickets to people caught with 
small amounts of marijuana. In March, Justice Minister Peter MacKay 
told the National Post the idea was still being considered. The 
Conservatives don't appear to have publicly broached the idea since then.

On stage, Leef was quick to pivot to one of his party's familiar 
responses to the Liberal's plan to legalize the drug, saying that pot 
should not be the focus of this election.

"Our priorities shouldn't be, for Canadians, legalizing marijuana. 
Our priorities should be giving you an education, a job, a healthy 
and active lifestyle," he said.

Bagnell supported his party's promise to legalize marijuana.

"There will be great taxes going to the government that we can use 
for post-secondary education," Bagnell said. "This way the proceeds 
from crime will no longer go to the mafia, they'll go to the 
government to provide services for you."

Atkinson drew on her experience as a lawyer to explain her party's 
stance to decriminalize the drug.

"I've been a lawyer in this town for 15 years and have seen way too 
many people get caught up in the system for smaller amounts of pot," she said.

"What that means is you have to look at the overall expenses, about 
what it means to engage a police officer, Crown prosecutor, defense 
council, court time, for smaller amounts," she said.

De Jong said the Green Party has advocated for the decriminalization 
of marijuana for years.

"So many people were tied up in courts for something that doesn't 
kill you. Cigarettes kill 30,000 Canadians every year whereas 
marijuana doesn't kill anyone.... It's backwards."

Aside from the question about drugs, students asked about the amount 
of debt they'll face after leaving a post-secondary education and the 
kind of housing and job prospects they'll find after graduating.

"I want to make sure that when you graduate school, you have a 
choice," Leef said.

That means continuing to fund programming at Yukon College and making 
sure education and training matches the available jobs that are out 
there, he said.

The Green Party, de Jong pointed out, is the only one that has 
promised to get rid of college and university tuition completely.

"Yes Mr. Leef, young people have a choice, but only if they're wealthy enough."

Bagnell pointed to his party's pledge to invest in First Nations 
education and promised other education-related announcements were on the way.

This is far from the last time these four will see each other ahead 
of the election on Oct. 19.

The next candidates' forum is on Oct. 6 and is being hosted by the 
Yukon Conservation Society and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom