Canada's pot plan goes up in smoke (US had input)

[rodeodance]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0604040162apr04,1,2707616.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Canada's pot plan goes up in smoke
Bill aimed to cut possession penalty

By Jeremy Hainsworth
Associated Press
Published April 4, 2006

OTTAWA -- Marijuana possession will remain a crime in Canada, the country's new conservative prime minister said Monday in announcing the demise of legislation that U.S. authorities worried would weaken anti-drug efforts.

Under the bill, drawn up by the previous Liberal Party government, getting caught with about half an ounce or less of marijuana would have brought a citation akin to a traffic ticket.

While possession of marijuana would have remained illegal, the bill was intended to prevent young people from being saddled with a lifelong criminal record.

Conservative Party Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking to the Canadian Professional Police Association, said the bill would not be reintroduced when the new Parliament convenes for the first time Monday

[Benhurst]

1. Ah, the advantages of having a lapdog in our future colony.

:sarcasm:

[saigon68]

2. WE ALREADY HAVE LAP DOG BLAIR

[Canuckistanian]

3. Just wait.

Stephen Harper is bucking all the polls, the Supreme Court of Canada, medical opinion and even opinions of members in his own party (one member, Dr. Keith Martin, once tried to introduce such a decriminalization bill himself).

This is about one thing only - sucking up to the Shrub.

Canadians are not too kind to prime ministers who kowtow to American presidents.

Just ask Brain Mulroney, who hitched his wagon to Ronald Reagan. He was reviled and his party was destroyed because of it.

I can wait.

[stepnw1f]

5. Good

[Lisa]

19. Keith Martin left them, too ...

He ended up joining the Liberals (and hung onto his seat in the recent election).

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. NOW we know what Junior and Stevie-Baby were talkin' about . .

.
.
.

Looks like both Junior and Harper are gonna get dethroned in the next two years . . .

And North America will rejoice in the departure of both of them . . .

That's my Canuk thots anyhoo . . .

[LeftHander]

6. Swine American conservatives dragging the world down.....

Piss me off.

[Broadslidin]

7. 'Pot Heads' are Highly Valued By The Corporate Prison Industry.....!

In a corporate controlled police :patriot: state,
is there any better inmate for filling prison cells...?

[jukes]

9. absolute truth!

cheap labor for "approved" corporations.

[Ignacio Upton]

8. Is Stephen Harper Bush's bitch?

Asking this question is like asking if the Pope is the head of the Catholic Church. I can see why Canada wanted to kick out a corrupt Liberal government (being in power for 12 years without any genuine opposition will do that to you) but it's unfortunately that the new Prime Minister is like thier version of Bush. If Bush ever restarts the draft (this issue may get him chased out of D.C. I can't see him trying this without immense protests of even conservatives) then would Harper keep Americans from crossing the border?

[Spazito]

10. Harper's government won't last, we will be election mode by

the end of the year so he can pretend all he likes, nothing he does will have a lasting effect. His actions are NOT endearing him to most Canadians.

[Amonester]

13. Le Bloc Quebecois can decide to "cut their heads" anytime...

they feel like smoking one! :smoke:

Of course, with NDP & Liberal Party.

Yep. "Recall" a la Canadienne... LOL :)

[MrPrax]

15. Assuming your right...

what would this have to do with decriminalization...this thing was NEVER suppose to be something that would be passed anyhow.

It's been little more than an issue for the THREE political parties to add to their campaign literature in the hopes of 'scoring' with disenfranchised youth--it's been promised many many times since 1972.

In fact, in 1979, Joe Clark used the 'old' decriminalization canard to get the Tories 'hip points' to attract voters.

The liberals like to promise it because it drains away support from the NDP. They have promised it at least three times.

The NDP of course have never pushed this one much, because a lot of it's 'eldery' supporters are not comfortable with the issue.

Please note that the collection of 'crime' bills in the last minority government passed without much fanfare or discussion--in fact new 'tougher' sentencing guidelines, increased penalties for 'border' stuff, mandatory sentencing for 'meth' hysteria--were all very much things that the US has demanded because they thought Canada had weak laws. The last bill in the package was decriminalization and if you look over the work of the committee there was NO effort by any of the parties to push this through to Parliament. They ALL agreed to let it die.

So why anyone in Canada still buys into this 'myth' of decriminalization, who knows. Ain't going to happen and BLAMING the Bush administration/America/whatever doesn't really cut anymore--more than enough two-faced lying politicains right here to blame who have sold this 'dimebag' of bunk weed for decades.

[nashville_brook]

16. yes

[Iniquitous Bunny]

11. I've yet to hear or see the evidence as to why...?

Marijuana is illegal and alcohol and tobacco are legal? (Note: I smoke nothing and drink minimally.)

Stupid politics maybe? Marijauna too easy for people to grow themselves perhaps? I don't get it. :shrug:

[Ezlivin]

12. Too bad they can't help us with our OIL ADDICTION

They could do us all a favor by shutting off all NG and petroleum exports and forcing us to face our problem.

Sound too harsh? It always does to an addict...

[Amonester]

14. Why "risking" (another) illegal (criminal) invasion?

Besides, Ralph Klein i (Alberta'$ PM) war-criminal-Dick-chickenhawk's hunting bud. :evilfrown:

[u4ic]

18. Premier....not for long...

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[fshrink]

17. And the distance between

dominant moral and reality will keep on increasing. Women will continue to abort if they so choose. Youth will keep on experimenting with grass. The only change is the quantity of necessary lies.