Pubdate: Fri, 23 Nov 2012
Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Black Press
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5n7vJzqp
Website: http://drugsense.org/url/zLXtMKI5
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361
Author: Tom Fletcher

TRUDEAU TALKS PIPELINES, POT

VICTORIA - Federal Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau made a 
swing through B.C. Wednesday, weighing in on debates about oil 
pipelines, marijuana and other hot political topics.

Trudeau shook up the national energy debate this week by coming out 
in favour of oil exports to Asia, and the proposed takeover of 
Alberta oilsands producer Nexen by a Chinese state corporation.

At a radio town hall meeting, Trudeau said he supports oil exports 
and Chinese investment because the investment and trade will create 
more middle-class employment in Canada. But he hastened to add he 
opposes the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline proposed to run from 
Alberta to Kitimat. He accused Enbridge of failing to consult with 
aboriginal people along the route and said he is opposed to a crude 
oil pipeline to B.C.'s North Coast.

Producers are going to have to "go back to the drawing board and find 
another way to get oil to Asia," he said.

During the town hall, he was told that Liberal MP David McGuinty had 
resigned as the party's natural resources critic after denouncing 
some Conservative MPs as "shills" for the oil industry who should "go 
back to Alberta." Trudeau said he was offended by McGuinty's 
comments, and wants to unify the country rather than pit one region 
against another as NDP leader Thomas Mulcair and Prime Minister 
Stephen Harper have done.

He spoke in favour of legalizing marijuana.

"The war on drugs as it stands has only been profitable for criminal 
enterprises and for gangs," Trudeau said. "We need to move beyond 
that, and I think it makes sense to tax and regulate it because 
that's actually an effective way of keeping it out of the hands of 
our kids, who will no longer have access to it on street corners."

Trudeau was also asked about the hot topic of the Nov. 26 Victoria 
by-election, land-based sewage treatment. He said the costly plan 
isn't supported by scientific experts, and is only supported by the 
NDP as a "make-work project" for the Victoria region.

The Liberal Party of Canada is to choose its new leader in a 
nation-wide vote in April. Other contenders include Ontario MP Martha 
Hall Findlay, who ran unsuccessfully for the leadership in 2006.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom