Pubdate: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2012 The Edmonton Journal Contact: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Jordan Press, Postmedia News CRIME BILL HEADS BACK TO COMMONS The federal government's omnibus crime bill will be heading back to the House of Commons after senators approved changes to Bill C-10 early Monday. The changes, proposed by Ontario Conservative Sen. Bob Runciman, were approved easily, but changes Liberal senators wanted to the Safe Streets and Communities Act received a tougher ride, including a failed proposal to raise the number of marijuana plants one could legally grow to 20 from six. The Conservative senators on the Senate legal affairs committee used their majority to reject all 17 changes the Liberals proposed. Liberal senators also raised concerns about provisions in C-10 that could hit aboriginals harder than others, but Tories on the committee said the bill focused on crime regardless of who was responsible. "If they're trafficking, they know what they're doing," said Conservative Sen. Daniel Lang. Lang said victims believe there has been a miscarriage of justice over the last few years, and it was time to change that by having politicians set "the moral compass" for law and order. The Liberals unsuccessfully proposed changes to the drug laws in the bill, including increasing to 20 from six the number of marijuana plants required to be charged with trafficking. "I'm concerned that when we pass a bill that ... people will believe their streets and communities will be safer and I'm not convinced that's the case," Liberal Sen. James Cowan said. Cowan said there are some Tory senators who are critical of the bill and may vote with the opposition Liberals when the Senate as a whole debates Bill C-10 on Wednesday. Liberal Sen. Joan Fraser said police told the committee they were unlikely to hunt down Canadians growing as few as six marijuana plants and would focus instead on large producers. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.