Pubdate: Fri, 19 Apr 2002
Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 The Chilliwack Progress
Contact:  http://www.theprogress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/562
Author: Robert Freeman
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

MARIJUANA BILL SENT TO 'NEVER-NEVER LAND' BY LIBERALS

A private member's bill to decriminalize marijuana went up in smoke 
Wednesday, set alight by an amendment from the federal Liberal 
government. "Rather than deal with it, they just sent it off to 
Never-Never Land," complained Fraser Valley MP Chuck Strahl, who 
hosted a town hall meeting here in Chilliwack two months ago on the 
controversial issue.

The government's use of parliamentary process to kill a private 
member's bill "really is outrageous," said Mr. Strahl. He added that 
Alliance MP Keith Martin, a B.C. doctor who authored the bill, was 
also outraged by the Liberal tactic, and may face parliamentary 
censure for touching a symbolic mace that resides in the House of 
Commons.

New Democratic Party House Leader Bill Blaikie told reporters the 
Liberal tactic was "a sad day for parliamentary democracy."

"Whenever the government doesn't want something to come to a vote, it 
can use its majority to overcome private members' business," he said.

Mr. Martin's bill would have made possession of small amounts of 
marijuana a summary offence subject to tickets and fines but no 
criminal record. The amendment sends the bill to an existing special 
committee studying the non-medical use of drugs.

Mr. Strahl said the Liberals' arrogance in power shows why the party 
is not favoured by voters in B.C.

While cod fishermen on the east coast received billions of federal 
dollars when the fishery collapsed, B.C. loggers and forest-dependent 
communities are not getting anything from the Liberal government.

The softwood lumber dispute didn't even register on the Liberal radar 
screen until after the effects were felt outside of B.C. and "then 
everybody hit the panic button," he said. "Then it's a national 
crisis."
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MAP posted-by: Josh