cannabisnews.com: Our Justice Minister is Going To Pot





Our Justice Minister is Going To Pot
Posted by CN Staff on May 18, 2003 at 08:25:47 PT
By Paul Samyn, National Report
Source: Winnipeg Free Press 
Ottawa -- Could it be a case of reefer madness? We know he smoked up because he told us. But that was long ago. Still, this was a strange week for Martin Cauchon, the man in charge of Canada's justice system, who by now was supposed to have introduced a bill to decriminalize pot.First, Cauchon thought it would be a good idea to skip on down to Washington to have a little chat with U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft about his coming pot plan.
But for some reason, Cauchon didn't think it was a good idea to let anyone back home know that he was planning to make a run for the border last Tuesday. Fortunately, someone with a far better sense of politics and the public interest thought otherwise and decided to tip off reporters about what, by any measure, was an important meeting that could have an impact on Canada-U.S. relations.Then, Cauchon's office tried to pretend this meeting was just a private affair, certainly nothing worthy of the attention of reporters who might have a few questions on behalf of those taxpayers back home about who paid the bill for his flight to Washington. (A wee bit of background: When politicians want media coverage, they will go to great lengths to hook up with reporters. Formal notices will be sent out to newsrooms advising them of the who, when and where of meetings. News conferences will be arranged. And in cases where cabinet ministers are out of the country, special toll-free conference calls will be arranged so anyone can dial in and ask questions.)Nothing Finally, upon his return to a country where possession of small amounts of pot will soon be subject to fines and not jail time, Cauchon had virtually nothing to say about his meeting with Ashcroft.We don't know whether Cauchon was able to soothe American fears that Canada's coming change in drug laws won't lead to a whack of weed flowing across south of the border. We have no idea whether the delay in the bill's introduction was the result of any changes the Americans wanted. In fact, to hear Cauchon talk, marijuana was almost an afterthought during their dinner discussions on a range of issues.All Cauchon would say is that the meeting was "cordial" and that "it's not up to me to comment on their position."Great. I'm sure Cheech and Chong would love to have Cauchon in their next movie. But this man, this rising star within the Liberal world, or so we are told, could be the stuff of a future prime minister.Leave aside the fact that Cauchon was going to be damned if he went to Washington before introducing the legislation, and damned if he didn't, given the state of relations between Jean Chretien and George W. Bush.But is it too much to ask that Canada's top lawmaker not only have a sense of right and wrong, but also the courage and conviction to make the case for what will be one of the most significant pieces of legislation this government will have introduced? If the country's drug laws need to be modernized, then tell us how and why. If drugs and border issues with the Americans need to be part of the legal equation, then don't be afraid to say so. And whatever you do, please don't behave like some toked-up teen praying he can sneak past his parents without them catching a whiff or looking into his eyes. Note: Cauchon being sneaky about new drug law.Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)Author: Paul Samyn, National ReportPublished: Sunday, May 18, 2003Copyright: 2003 Winnipeg Free PressContact: letters freepress.mb.caWebsite: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmNo Laws Ban Possession of Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16321.shtmlMarijuana Possession Law 'Erased' http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16320.shtmlWhat Are You Smoking, Canada?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16311.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #6 posted by Dark Star on May 19, 2003 at 05:38:20 PT
JR's LTE
Excellent letter. You sound like a pundit. Keep writing!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on May 19, 2003 at 04:40:55 PT
LTE
Sirs,  Paul Samyn refers to Canada as "a country where possession of small amounts of pot will soon be subject to fines and not jail time". That's one intent of Cauchon's proposed legislation - paradoxically, it also increases penalties for larger amounts - but one needs to take a look at the Canadian court system to see the big picture in the recently very turbulent world of Canadian marijuana laws.  The Canadian Supreme Court recently heard a trio of cases which may invalidate every marijuana law on the books in Canada. The day before this case was originally scheduled, Cauchon made his first announcement. This announcement delayed the trial for months, but it finally got underway after Cauchon seemed to drop the issue. Could his announcement have been merely to delay the inevitable court decision?  Then, this past week an Ontario court affirmed a lower court's decision that Ontario's marijuana laws are not valid. This is because of a decision a few years ago which gave Ottawa one year to provide medical access, or there would no longer be any laws about marijuana at all. Ottawa tried, with miserable results - one crop was grown in a mine shaft in Manitoba, but none of the patients who applied to the program ever saw any of it. This recent Ontario court ruling throws things into a state of chaos - the feds are appealing again, but so far they're 0-2. If there are no laws on marijuana in Ontario, and possibly soon the rest of Canada, then Cauchon's proposal becomes not decriminalization but REcriminalization - and unconstitutional, which the judges would undoubtedly point out if this new law makes it into their courts after they've thrown out the old one.  What does it all mean? For one thing, it means that Cauchon's proposal is the only alternative for Canada's future where a war on marijuana continues. Drug gangs will still be the ones in control of the supply, and there will still be shootouts between gangs and drug agents. Why does Cauchon want to continue this insanity? Is it for the jobs the war on drugs provides? Is it because he hopes to raise money with the new proposed fines? Is it because John Ashcroft and the Bush Administration threatened something really severe if he strays too far from their idealistic crusade?   At this point, who can tell? Stay tuned; it's bound to get more and more interesting...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 18, 2003 at 09:20:50 PT
puff_tuff
Thanks! I'll try to get it!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by puff_tuff on May 18, 2003 at 09:18:06 PT
Heads Up
National CBC Radio phone in show today Sunday CBC Radio 
Cross Country Checkup Live on CBC Radio One at: Newfoundland 5:36 - 7:30 pm
Atlantic 5:06 - 7:00 pm 
Eastern 4:06 - 6:00 pm 
Central 3:06 - 5:00 pm 
Mountain 2:06 - 4:00 pm 
Pacific 1:06 - 3:00 pm This Week's Topic Sunday May 18, 2003 On Cross Country Checkup ...marijuauna and the law This week the Canada's justice minister postponed plans to table legislation decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana. Critics within his own party said it was too much. Others say he caved in to pressure from the U.S. What do you think? Should pot be decriminalized? Join host Rex Murphy, Sunday on Cross Country Checkup Toll-free number (during the broadcast only): 
1-888-416-8333 If you are outside Canada you can listen online at 
http://vancouver.cbc.ca/ram/r1van.ram Cross Country Checkup live on video* (CBC Country Canada digital TV channel)*works only during the broadcast 
http://www.cbcradioinbc.ca/ram/cccu_live.ram
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by The GCW on May 18, 2003 at 08:55:07 PT
All Green Collar Workers must read this!
The Fundamental Challenge of Our Time http://fundamentalcoot.blogspot.com/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by The GCW on May 18, 2003 at 08:29:47 PT
Bush - a man in love with power plants.
http://www.island.org/prescience/p5/bush.html
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment