HTTP/1.0 200 OK Content-Type: text/html Where There's Smoke There's Pot 
Pubdate: Thu, 07 Dec 2006
Source: Hour Magazine (CN QU)
Copyright: 2006, Communications Voir Inc.
Contact:  http://www.hour.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/971
Author: Charlie McKenzie
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE THERE'S POT

Liberal Convention Debates Marijuana

Buried amidst the hype and hoopla of their leadership race, but not 
entirely unnoticed in certain smoke-filled quarters, federal Liberals 
seem to have finally grasped that marijuana is a growth industry in Canada.

A contentious "pie-in-the-sky" resolution was presented to the 
convention's social and justice workshop calling for legalizing 
marijuana under eventual provincial administration. The resolution 
also suggested that existing "compassion centres" could be 
incorporated into Health Canada and there be a general amnesty and 
destruction of criminal records for the 1.5 million Canadians 
convicted of simple marijuana possession since 1923.

The controversial proposals were presented on behalf of the Young 
Liberals of Canada by Marc-Boris St- Maurice, founder of the Bloc Pot 
and federal Marijuana Party, who joined the federal Liberals two years ago.

One elderly Ontario delegate expressed contempt, not just for the 
resolution, but for St-Maurice's very presence in the party. "This 
workshop's been duped by the Marijuana Party," he told astonished delegates.

In reply, St-Maurice calmly produced his Liberal credentials, holding 
them aloft for all to see.

In yet another fit of pot-policy-induced pique, one overstimulated 
delegate warned of a global pandemic of "fetal cannabis syndrome" if 
the resolution were passed.

B.C. youth delegate Adam Tremblay rejected concerns that legalization 
would increase crime.

"Remove marijuana from the hands of criminals and we can much more 
effectively deal with the issues that surround it."

While the resolution went no further than the policy workshop, it is 
now part of the official Liberal record and St-Maurice is undeterred. 
Liberals, he says, are "incredibly tolerant" when it comes to marijuana.

"Without naming names," he adds, "I'm in a good position to confirm 
that many members of the Liberal Party freely indulge, but it's 
neither my place nor my intent to ever say who."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom