cannabisnews.com: Legal Pot a Liberal Cash Cow - Goldring





Legal Pot a Liberal Cash Cow - Goldring
Posted by FoM on May 21, 2001 at 10:58:47 PT
By Andrea Wiebe, Edmonton Sun
Source: Edmonton Sun
The Liberals are opening discussions on legalizing marijuana because it's a potential taxation "cash cow," charges a Canadian Alliance MP. But an infuriated Justice Minister Anne McLellan said yesterday that the suggestion from Edmonton Centre MP Peter Goldring is "irresponsible" and a "misrepresentation" of her stance. McLellan said she's open to talking about decriminalizing or legalizing pot as part of discussions going on in a Senate committee and a new House of Commons committee struck to examine non-medicinal drugs in Canada. 
"That's very cavalier of her," Goldring said yesterday. "But I think that she should be a little more cautious. "That's letting the winds blow on whether it will be legalized or not and I think that's very irresponsible of her." McLellan said it's Goldring who's being irresponsible. "My views have been plain. I do not support decriminalization and I do not support legalization, but I do support a discussion among Canadians," she said. The House of Commons committee is an all-party body - "including Mr. Goldring's," said the minister. "I was just talking to (Canadian Alliance MP) Randy White in the airport in Toronto on Friday and, in fact, Randy is looking forward to engaging Canadians in this discussion around where we go in this area." The government should figure out how to fix the kinks in its distribution of medicinal marijuana before it takes on decriminalization or legalization, Goldring said. The move raises other issues - like the question of policing marijuana smokers who get behind the wheel, he said. "Let's just open the floodgates and let it rip, if people - well, I guess it wouldn't be people - if the Liberals voted in favour of it." Goldring said McLellan is "trial-ballooning" the issue and appears ready to move ahead. Legalizing pot would allow the government to levy a fat tax on it, he said. "Unfortunately, the way things do go is that some small-minded people view this very simplistically as a cash cow, and that would be shameful if that was to happen," he said. City Coun. Allan Bolstad, who championed the city's strict new anti-smoking bylaw, said the city would treat legal pot smoking just the way it does tobacco now. "I don't see the idea of legalization as terribly positive," he said. "There are still health concerns, and we're doing our best to discourage people from smoking anything." One local hemp merchant said he doubts legalization would lead to a boom in hydroponics operations in Edmonton - although he suspects local coffee shops and liquor stores might start selling the stuff. "The federal government would probably keep the supplies small through licensing," said Benjamin Currie of True North Hemp, 10260 82 Ave. "At least the price would drop." Note: Just want 'discussion,' counters justice minister.Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Author: Andrea Wiebe, Edmonton SunPublished: Monday, May 21, 2001Copyright: 2001 Canoe Limited PartnershipContact: sun.letters ccinet.ab.ca Website: http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonSun/ Related Articles & Web Site:Canadian Alliancehttp://www.canadianalliance.ca/Minister Quite Open To Marijuana Debate http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9790.shtmlMPs Set To Debate Legalizing Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9778.shtmlMedical Journal: Decriminalize Marijuana Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9729.shtml 
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Comment #2 posted by Symmetric on May 21, 2001 at 21:37:54 PT
poll alert
http://cgi.canoe.ca/htbin/survey/survey?poll=cnews010521&resultsonly=1&pollresulttype=percentageCNEWS PollShould Canada legalize marijuana and tax its sale?Total Votes for this Question: 1658 So far, 73% have voted for YesSo far, 27% have voted for No
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Comment #1 posted by Symmetric on May 21, 2001 at 18:06:19 PT:
canada
if anyone is interested in other news stories from canada, try out http://www.mapinc.org/canada.htm
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