Del Jones, association president, discussed the party's plans for the 2015 election and Justin Trudeau's stance on legalizing marijuana. "The expectation is that we will win the riding back and certainly our objective is to win it back in 2015," said Jones. Bernadette Clement, Liberal past-candidate in the 2011 federal election, fell behind MP Guy Lauzon in the polls. Lauzon has been the South Dundas-South Glengarry federal representative for the last nine years. He beat out mayor Bob Kilger in 2004. Before that Ed Lumley and Kilger held the position as Liberals for 10 and 16-year stints. [continues 381 words]
Cornwall recently made news across Canada with a controversial new program specifically designed to combat and eliminate drug abuse. Other municipalities are not rushing to adopt a similar program in their own communities. Although I welcome any move to fight drug abuse, I have some reservation about this particular program. This program is unique and innovative. However, I am not sure if it invades privacy of others. In Cornwall, if you deal drugs, the whole neighbourhood, and in fact, the whole community, will soon know. [continues 637 words]
Few acts are as dangerous as driving a car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Every year, far too many Canadians are seriously injured or killed due to the irresponsible actions of impaired drivers That is why the Conservative Government is taking real action. Under new rules that took effect earlier this month, those who are caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs are subject to much more severe penalties, including higher maximum sentences and mandatory jail time for repeat offenders. [continues 255 words]
Dear Editor, I just read Arthur Black's light-hearted article called "This Country is Going to Pot," in the Seaway News. Black reminisces about the history of marijuana in Canada over the past 50 years or so. He's right about the paranoia that has been perpetuated for so long over the use of pot, including preposterous assertions that pot use causes insanity, devil worship and leads users to outright murder. This brainwashing worked for a while but now the cat is out of the bag forever. Like alcohol, tobacco and certain prescription drugs, marijuana creates a certain euphoria for the user and over time, a dependence can be built up. However, research shows the dependence to be more psychological than physical, unlike the killer dependence of say, heroin or cocaine use. [continues 335 words]
When I was in my late teens I lived for a time in a relatively seamy section of Montreal. My landlord, a wannabe jazz saxophonist, used to get together with an overgrown flower child who answered to the name Posey. They would spend most afternoons sitting on a balcony overlooking Rue Guy, puffing on doobies the size of panatelas as they giggled at the world going by. They were the only two people I knew in the world who smoked pot. [continues 628 words]
Dear Editor, It is well known that cases of AIDS are increasing in spite of the knowledge of how it is spread. On Channel 26, a very sincere young homosexual, Shaun Proulx, spoke about the drug crystal meth and its use at parties in Toronto. According to him, users get a super high and a four-day come-down often with suicidal tendencies. During this "high" of this drug, he said inhibitions go out the window, and no doubt AIDS can be spread this way. He noted that crystal meth was one of the most addictive drugs. Good advice to everyone would be to avoid crystal meth as well as all the other "mind-altering drugs". "Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." I Peter 5:8. Mary Sproul Cornwall [end]
