Pubdate: Tue, 16 Mar 2010
Source: Telegram, The (CN NF)
Page: Front Page
Copyright: 2010 The Telegram
Contact:  http://www.thetelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/303
Author: Steve Bartlett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

NO WEED TO SUCCEED

Don't Park Your Life 'At the End of a Marijuana Cigarette,' Ignatieff 
Tells Mount Pearl Students

After encouraging O'Donel High students to vote and help create a 
better country, it was Michael Ignatieff's reply to a young man's 
question about legalizing marijuana that drew the loudest and longest applause.

"If I had to tell you as a parent or as someone who has spent his 
whole life working with young people, the last darn thing I want you 
to be doing is smoking marijuana," the federal Liberal leader said.

"I want you to be out there digging a well, digging a ditch, getting 
a job, raising a family ... doing stuff, instead of parking your life 
on the end of a marijuana cigarette."

Ignatieff held the town hall-style meeting Monday as part of a 
cross-country tour leading up to "Canada at 150," a Liberal-organized 
conference on where the country should be in 2017 that's being held 
later this month.

A number of organizations and interested adults also attended the event.

Noting he likes an occasional drink and having a good time, Ignatieff 
didn't seem concerned if his anti-weed stance made him appear conservative.

"Given the things we need to do together, that's what I think," he 
said, adding that legalizing marijuana would create problems in 
dealings with the U.S. because the drug would remain illegal there.

Ignatieff opened the meeting by encouraging students to vote, saying 
only one in five young Canadians did so in the last election.

He also shared his national vision. He wants Canada to be the most 
educated society, the most energy-efficient country and the most 
international society.

"And that's a funny goal," he said of the latter, encouraging the 
students to have experiences overseas and then return home.

"We can't afford to be provincial. We can't afford to be small. We've 
got to engage with the world. The world needs Canada to solve 
conflicts, to give advice, to dig wells, to build schools, to help 
people. We (also) need more people coming into Canada."

During the Q and A, besides marijuana, Ignatieff was quizzed about 
ACAP funding, Africa, student debt, poverty, tax and small business 
succession, and product safety.

Most of the questions came from organizations.

The Liberal leader said his party would to restore ACAP funding and 
that Canada should be engaged in Africa because of the opportunities 
and our historical ties to that continent's Francophone portion.

Ignatieff stressed his post-secondary schooling credo: "You get the 
grades, you get to go." He said student aid must to get to those who 
need it and that investment levels must be sustained. He suggested 
specific post-secondary education transfers to provinces and 
financial rewards for universities that attract students.

As for poverty, the Liberal leader said government has to provide 
basic income security.

"We do not want to dig ourselves out of the deficit on the backs of 
the working poor," he said to applause. "We need to identify the 
community groups that do a good job (at reducing poverty) and we need 
to partner with them."

The effect of taxation on small business succession - kids will be 
"taxed enormously" for taking over a family business, warned the 
insurance brokers association - appeared to be a new concern.

Ignatieff said he wanted discuss it with his caucus because he didn't 
have the details. He did acknowledge the importance of small business 
and noted the Conservatives are planning to "massively increase" the 
EI contribution rate. That, he said, will negatively affect small 
business and could kill jobs.

Asked about ensuring children's products are safe, Ignatieff said 
government has to protect Canadians and must provide the right amount 
of resources to do it.

"I'm not a big government guy - that's not what the Liberals stand 
for - but we do believe this place really will go to hell if you 
don't have a government that stands up and protects Canadians."

After being such an outspoken critic of the Conservatives' proroguing 
of Parliament, reporters later asked Ignatieff why he had hit the 
road now that the House of Commons was open.

"We saw the budget last week (and) the Throne speech, there's nothing 
there," he replied. "There's really nothing there...So now that's 
been voted, we're doing what we think needs to be done, which is just 
as important, which is, 'If that's the Conservative offer, we've got 
to make the Canadian people a counter offer.' How do you do that? You 
go around the country, listen to Canadians, get ideas in."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom