Pubdate: Sat, 21 Apr 2012
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Joan Bryden

SHOULD YOU BE JAILED FOR POSSESSING POT? NDP'S THOMAS MULCAIR WEIGHS
IN

OTTAWA - Thomas Mulcair is clearing the air on pot, clarifying that he
doesn't believe anyone should go to jail for possessing a couple of
joints.

The freshly minted NDP leader created confusion about his party's
position recently when he said decriminalization of marijuana would be
a mistake.

But it appears he was actually referring to outright legalization of
marijuana.

"Terms like legalization and decriminalization are often
inappropriately used interchangeably," Mulcair spokesman George Soule
said Friday.

"But be very clear that Thomas Mulcair does not believe that anyone
should be going to jail for possession of just a small amount of pot.
Criminalization is not the answer for any area of social policy."

Last month, shortly before winning the NDP leadership contest, Mulcair
was asked directly by Global TV's Tom Clark whether he supports
decriminalizing marijuana.

"No," Mulcair said then. "I think that would be a mistake because the
information that we have right now is that the marijuana that's on the
market is extremely potent and can actually cause mental illness."

The comment appeared to be a reversal of the NDP's long-standing
support for decriminalization.

It came back to haunt Mulcair on Friday, the annual April 20
counterculture "pot holiday," as Liberals attempted to turn marijuana
into a defining issue in the battle for centre-left young voters.

Young Liberals plastered Mulcair's quote on handouts and posters to be
circulated at pro-pot rallies in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. They
were also to distribute buttons promoting the Liberal party's new
policy in favour of legalization - a position adopted at the party's
convention in January.

"This is the new NDP and we are going to tell people about it," said
Young Liberal president Samuel Lavoie.

"Mr. Mulcair would continue to punish pot smokers, would continue the
Harper war on drugs - a war even Mr. (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper
now admits is 'not working.' ... Only the Liberal party will take
Canada in a new direction and end Mr. Harper's failed war on drugs."

Alyx Holland, national director of the Young Liberals, dismissed
Soule's clarification, saying support for decriminalization is not
reflected in Mulcair's comments to Global TV. She acknowledged that
Liberals see potential for turning marijuana into a wedge issue that
will benefit her party among youth voters.

Meanwhile, an aromatic haze floated over the front lawns of Parliament
Hill and provincial legislatures as pot lovers openly defied the law,
in plain view of the police.

At Manitoba's legislature, hundreds of people gathered, many openly
smoking marijuana. Police expected more than 1,000 by day's end. Many
hot-dog cart owners were in place before 9 a.m. to secure a spot near
the hungry crowd.

About a dozen police officers stood by and watched for trouble, but
police had no plans to make any arrests for toking.

"We aren't anticipating arresting for simple possession-related
offences," Const. Natalie Aitken said.

"While it's a behaviour that we do not condone and we do not support,
at this time that's not something that we will be following through
with charges. However, we are here, we are in full force if there's
any type of acts of violence, if there's any property damage."

Police were also keeping an eye on those who left the area by car for
signs of drug impairment, Aitken said.

RCMP said up to 5,000 people turned out for the hour-long rally on
Parliament Hill, which ended peacefully.

"There's nothing wrong with smoking weed," said Ottawa protester
Austin Hazell. "I just hang out at home, just kick it, you know.

"Work, take care of stuff, just get high. It's what I
do."

In downtown Vancouver, the event took on a quasi-official, festival
like feel, with orange-and-white city barricades blocking off an
entire block at the side of the art gallery.

While a handful of police and fire officials watched, vendors sold
tacos and sausages, tie-dyed shirts, bongs and pipes, "weed budder"
and hash-oil treats, joints, and cookies.

Some sat on the pavement, toking on joints and listening to bands
performing live and on stage.

Similar so-called "4/20" rallies were held across North America on
Friday.

The number 420 has been associated with marijuana use for decades,
though its origins are murky. Its use as code for marijuana spread
among California pot users in the 1960s, and spread among followers of
the Grateful Dead.

In Canada, the NDP was the first national party to support
decriminalization, a position eventually adopted by the Liberal
government of Jean Chretien. His government actually introduced a bill
to remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of
marijuana but it was not passed before the Liberals were defeated by
Stephen Harper's Conservatives.

Harper has gone in the opposite direction, imposing mandatory minimum
sentences for possession of as few as six pot plants. And although he
last week admitted the war on drugs hasn't worked, Harper has
categorically rejected decriminalization or legalization as solutions
to the problem.

Unlike Harper, Soule said, Mulcair believes government policy should
focus "on harm reduction rather than criminalization."

He said Mulcair also advocates creating a royal commission, "bringing
together the best social, medical and law enforcement expertise" to
recommend the best solutions for the future.

Soule noted that the last time Canada conducted an in-depth study of
the recreational use of drugs was 40 years ago, with the LeDain
commission. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D