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Liberals
Prime Minister Jean Chretien recently announced that Canada needs "decreased government intervention instead of draconian police action." Unfortunately for some, Chretien was referring to tobacco.
He was not repeating the sentiments on cannabis laws which he expressed before Parliament in 1981, when he said "We do think that once in a while we have to modernize laws which have been on the books for so long and do not cope with realities as they exist."
Sixteen years later the laws are still on the books and the reality of a criminal record for possession and prison for growing still hasn't changed.
Reform
The deceptively named Reform Party is sending mixed signals on marijuana. In regards to restrictions on medicinal herbs, Reform health critic Grant Hill recently said that "government should not ban any natural products, vitamins, minerals, and herbal products, until harm has been shown." Yet he's all for the ban on marijuana.
The Vancouver South Constituency Association passed a resolution for the 1994 Assembly, to "decriminalize all drugs at the federal level" by a margin of 37 to 15. Yet the "tough on crime" reform party has generally ridiculed advocates of cannabis decriminalization, without suggesting alternatives.
NDP
The other party leaders have been more candid. "I think it is madness for young people to end up with criminal records for the simple possession of marijuana," said NDP leader Alexa McDonough to a cheering crowd on MuchMusic. "I tried it once, but I've never smoked a cigarette and I didn't know how to do it."
Bloc Quebecois
BQ Leader Gilles Duceppe joined the ranks of Pierre Trudeau, Kim Campbell and PC leader Jean Charest who have not only tried marijuana but knew how to do it. "Like everyone else from my generation I'd be lying if I said I hadn't done it," Duceppe said in Quebec City. "Yes, yes, I inhaled," laughed Duceppe.
Despite his confession, Duceppe remains firmly on the fence regarding cannabis laws. He thinks decriminalization should be studied by yet another panel of experts. When asked if he agrees with criminalizing non-violent cannabis users he said, "We look at the billions that have been spent on that and the billions that organized crime groups are making, and bikers, and the mafia. That's not the solution either."
Pot Politics
Does political leadership lead to cannabis? Does cannabis lead to political leadership? One has to wonder when three out of five party leaders have enjoyed the herb, compared to one in five Canadians. Or could it be that regular Canadians have more to lose by admitting to marijuana use than do their elected leaders?
By Matthew Elrod