Winnipeg -- John Ibbitson (Pot And Gay Marriage Keep The PM Engaged -- April 17) suggests the Liberal caucus could support marijuana decriminalization because the timing is right: We've recently offended the Americans so much that things just can't get any worse.

I would suggest the time is right for another reason. When the tiresome U.S. government outrage occurs, Jean Chretien now has the perfect rejoinder, courtesy of U.S. Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld: "Free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things."

Douglas Johnson

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