cannabisnews.com: Cauchon Vows Quick Action Despite PM's Reluctance Cauchon Vows Quick Action Despite PM's Reluctance Posted by CN Staff on January 09, 2003 at 07:50:41 PT By Janice Tibbetts, Southam News Source: National Post Ottawa - Despite the Prime Minister's misgivings, Martin Cauchon, the Justice Minister, says he intends to pursue decriminalization of marijuana by taking a proposal to the federal Cabinet "in the weeks ahead."Mr. Cauchon heads to Europe today, where he will discuss pot decriminalization with his counterparts in France, England and Germany, which have relaxed their laws or plan to do so. "I want to move ahead as quickly as I can," Mr. Cauchon said yesterday, when asked whether Jean Chrétien's hesitancy will delay legislation.Mr. Cauchon, a 40-year-old who has confessed to smoking pot in his youth, acknowledged that he and his boss may have a difference of opinion on whether marijuana possession should be eliminated from the Criminal Code.But Mr. Cauchon, who has been a Chrétien loyalist through his leadership problems, denied there is a generation gap between he and the Prime Minister, who turns 69 on Saturday and says he did not even know what marijuana was when he was growing up.Mr. Chrétien's reluctance to modernize laws is in step with a significant portion of Canadian society, Mr. Cauchon said. "He is a guy that understands perfectly our Canadian society. He knows where we are on many, many issues."A recent poll conducted for Southam News indicated that Canadians are split on whether simple possession should be decriminalized. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/cvq.htm Source: National Post (Canada)Author: Janice Tibbetts, Southam News Published: Thursday, January 09, 2003Copyright: 2002 Southam Inc.Contact: letters nationalpost.comWebsite: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmHalf of Canadians Want Relaxed Pot Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15089.shtmlCanadians Suggest Legalizing Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14333.shtmlSenate Report on Cannabis: Get Whole Story http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14319.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on January 09, 2003 at 09:01:39 PT BFD! A suggestion to Mr. Cauchon: Keep your mouth shut until you actually DO SOMETHING. The next thing I want to hear from you is "I'm decriminalizing marijuana TODAY". What a bummer it will be if they put in the 200/500/1000 fine system. For a few grams of herb? Absurd. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by WolfgangWylde on January 09, 2003 at 07:55:43 PT I hate to be picky... ...but France is planning to ratchet up penalties for marijuana use, not relax them. Indeed, I'd wager that when its all over but the shouting, France and the U.S. will be the last two left in Prohibition Land. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment