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Let Them Smoke Pot
Pubdate: Fri, 03 Oct 2008
Source: Banff Crag & Canyon, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2008 Osprey Media
Contact: http://www.banffcragandcanyon.com/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx
Website: http://www.banffcragandcanyon.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1033
Author: TS Owen
LET THEM SMOKE POT
The Libertarians, a party in Canada since 1973, believe the less
government the better, and they were in Canmore Thursday during
Marijuana Week promoting the idea that the government should get out
of regulating its use by adults.
They met the press at Hempire, one of three stores owned by the Wild
Rose Libertarian candidate Krista Zoobkoff.
Leader of six months Calgarian Dennis Young said criminalizing one in
five Canadians who admit to using marijuana robs the country of future
doctors, teachers and others valuable to its future.
Libertarians believe adults should be allowed the responsible use of
marijuana just as they are with alcohol.
"People should be responsible for their actions, they don't need the
government to tell us what to do," Zoobkoff said. "If they want a
statue called The Big Head, they could donate the money for it, not
let the government spend their money on it."
Young is also against the Afghan war and believes in less taxes, less
government and more freedom for individual Canadians.
Shortly after Young joined the party, the leader stepped down and he
found himself running for his spot.
Now the former military policeman is running against Prime Minister
Stephen Harper in Calgary.
"We've increased our candidates forty percent since 2006," he said,
admitting that means from ten then to 40 now. The majority are running
in Ontario and B.C.
"It's always been an uphill battle," he said.
With some 15,000 members, he said more Libertarian candidates can get
the party's philosophy out to the public.
He owns TrafficCops, a business that helps drivers deal with traffic
tickets. He said he learned the hammer of government is not the
solution while working as an MP in Bosnia.
He was "the easiest convert the party has ever had" while living in
Edmonton.
He plans on mounting attack ads to gain attention.
"There is this huge silence from the government," he said. "No one is
allowed to say anything except Harper. Government has grown 14.8
percent in two years under him, he is definitely not for small government.
"I will attack his bloated government policy."
TS Owen
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin