Pubdate: Sat, 08 Apr 2006
Source: Cowichan News Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Cowichan News Leader
Contact:  http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1314
Author: Angie Poss
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, POT AND WAR IN OTTAWA

The Conservative government should let the issue of same sex marriage  
rest and turn its attention to more important national issues, said  
MP Jean Crowder.

Minister of Justice and Attourney General Vic Towes said last week  
his party would hold a free vote on whether to rescind the same-sex  
marriage bill and change the legal definition of marriage to a union  
between a man and a woman.

Though Toews told a CBC reporter the vote would happen "sooner rather  
than later," no timeframe has been set.

"It will happen but it will be several months off yet," predicts  
Crowder. "There is a real split about whether this should even come  
back to Parliament. Even some of the Conservatives are questioning it."

Crowder says she has not heard a peep from constituents on the issue  
since the bill passed, with the exception of the election campaign  
when Conservative candidate Norm Sowden took some fire for his  
party's position.

Though she would again vote in favour of same-sex marriage, she  
argues another vote - one that could be close - is simply not necessary.

"The debate happened in Parliament. A decision was made. Many people  
have gone out and gotten married. There are so many more pressing  
issues for this government to deal with," she said.

One of those issues could soon be addressed following an announcement  
Wednesday that Stephen Harper has reversed an earlier decision and  
will give MPs a chance to debate, but not vote on, Canada's mission  
in Afghanistan.

"It does at least allow Members of Parliament to ask questions of the  
minister and get it on record," said Crowder.

She expects the debate to include the role of Canadian soldiers in  
Afghanistan, the length of the mission and what the exit strategy is.  
The debate should not end there, Crowder says, but should also cover  
whether Afghanistan would be better served by a United Nations mission.

"Then there is the broader question of, outside of Afghanistan, what  
is the role of the Canadian military and how are we training and  
equipping our soldiers for that role."

It was a busy week for Harper with the PM telling an Association of  
Police Chiefs' meeting on Tuesday he would not reintroduce a Liberal  
bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. That  
bill died when the minority government fell.

"It's not a helpful stance," said Crowder, saying the  
decriminalization bill - which would not legalize marijuana - would  
have freed police and courts to focus on large producers and  
traffickers.
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MAP posted-by: Jackl