Pubdate: Fri, 13 Jan 2006
Source: Tri-City News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006, Tri-City News
Contact:  http://www.tricitynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1239
http://www.tricitynews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=74&cat=23&id=571639&more
Author: Kate Trotter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

CRIME, GROW OPS HOT TOPICS AT PLATEAU FORUM

Practice makes perfect and, after nearly two years of election mode 
in B.C., the Westwood Plateau Community Association has found a 
winning formula for bringing politics to the people.

At its forum for the riding of Port Moody-Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam 
Wednesday night, candidates grilled each other, trying to bring out 
the worst in their opponents while highlighting their own virtues.

Unlike the big federal campaign, where the object is to nail the 
leader, in Coquitlam, everyone jumped into the fray.

Lewis Dahlby said the views of New Democrat Mary Woo Sims on human 
rights, "don't protect my rights as a Libertarian." Making housing a 
right, he said, "creates an obligation for someone to provide that 
housing, even if they're lazy."

Sims told Liberal Jon Kingsbury that under his party's reign, Canada 
has fallen from top spot on the United Nation's list to fifth. "How 
are you going to address the social deficit you've created while 
addressing the fiscal deficit?" Kingsbury's answer was that Canada 
was going to become a world leader in environmental technology. 
"We're going to be as green as green can be."

Independent Greg Watrich, who supports marriage only for 
heterosexuals, had wanted to challenge Conservative James Moore for 
the nomination for the riding but was shut out. "Many social 
conservative voters were distressed when James Moore voted for 
same-sex marriage," he said. "A vote for James Moore is no longer a 
vote to support Stephen Harper."

Judging by audience response, same-sex marriage is a dead issue on 
the Plateau.
Crime is not: When the people's written questions were read, it dominated.
Any move toward de-criminalizing marijuana   supported by 
Libertarians and the Greens' Scott Froom   got just a couple of hands 
clapping. But crackdowns on grow ops pulled the loudest applause of 
the night from a community infected with illegal drug factories.

"Marijuana is a cash crop for organized crime," Moore said. 
"Marijuana is exchanged for cocaine. It is the currency that fuels 
organized crime." He said the pot crop is the reason for the 
proliferation of hand guns in Canada and hand gun crime. "If you're 
getting your wealth off drugs, you're getting your wealth by 
poisoning the minds of kids and I believe you should go to jail for a 
very long time," he said.

Here's how other candidates responded to crime concerns:

Kingsbury: "Judges can't put criminals in jail because there's no 
room for them," he said. The Liberals' plan is preventative, starting 
from early learning initiatives to daycare and beyond.

Dahlby: "Legalize all drugs as they were before 1917. The problem of 
crime is related to prohibition."

Sims: "Our party is about prevention... We can't be sending more 
people to jails without addressing prevention." The party platform 
calls for a reverse onus for bail on gun-related crimes (convincing a 
judge that bail is appropriate) and strengthening witness protection.

Froom: Regulate marijuana and decriminalize personal use, and deal 
with grow ops.

Watrich: Counter the media's "glorification" of crime with reality education.

Some other notable moments from Wednesday's meeting:

  Biggest laugh: at Dahlby's comment on same-sex marriage: "The 
government should not be in the business of imposing contracts on 
consenting adults." People should write their own contracts for 
union, with a standard fall-back in case the marriage doesn't last, 
he said. "You don't find out the rules until you get divorced. I've 
been divorced. I know."

  Loudest disapproval: at independent Greg Watrich after he accused 
Moore of shaking Prime Minister Paul Martin's hand right after the 
same-sex marriage vote   and of having "a secret deal" with Vancouver 
Centre NDP candidate, and gay man, Svend Robinson.

Moore's reply: "I was thanking [Martin] for autographing a picture in 
August that was auctioned off for a Fraser Valley hospice." As for 
the conspiracy? "Of course there's no secret deal. That's ridiculous." 
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom