Pubdate: Sat, 24 Aug 2013
Source: Kingston Whig-Standard (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.thewhig.com/letters
Website: http://www.thewhig.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/224
Author: Doug Firby

JUSTIN TRUDEAU, STEPHEN HARPER AND THE POLITICS OF POT

The Liberal Leader Is Playing a High-Risk Game That Could Pay Off If 
He's Read the Electorate Correctly

A huge political gamble? Or an opportunistic move?

The one thing we know for certain is that Liberal leader Justin 
Trudeau's admission that he took a few "puffs" of pot - even during 
his term as a Member of Parliament - is not an off-the-cuff, reckless 
comment. Instead, it is a daring, calculated move that pits Prime 
Minister Stephen Harper's stodgy old conservatives against the 
nominally more attuned, youth-focused liberal electorate in a battle 
for the hearts of core Canadians.

You don't have to support the decriminalization of pot to be 
fascinated by this high-stakes chess game. If you love watching 
political strategy on a level that puts the TV series House of Cards 
to shame, then you'll love what is unfolding in the polarized battle 
between chubby old family man Harper versus handsome, hunky young 
family man, Trudeau.

Think of the themes at play. Law and order versus common sense. Rigid 
adherence to rules versus a little flexibility, because we've all 
been there at some point in our lives. And dare we say it? 
Self-righteous mendacity versus plain old openness and honesty.

Make no mistake. The Liberal party orchestrated this move after 
looking at some interesting polling numbers. An Angus Reid poll done 
in the fall of 2012 found that 57% of Canadians support the 
legalization of the possession of marijuana. Even in the U.S., two 
states - Washington and Colorado - have voted in favour of legalizing 
pot, and 19 states have legalized it for medical use.

Canadians appear to be, if not firmly in favour, at the very least 
aloof about the use of marijuana. We do not judge our leaders for 
admitting they've partaken, especially in an era when even the former 
president of the U.S., Bill Clinton, admitted that he smoked 
marijuana but (cough, cough) did not inhale.

Let's be clear about this: There is ever-mounting evidence that 
chronic marijuana use is not good for your health, and for that 
reason it should not be encouraged. Of course, it is stating the 
obvious that the same can be said about alcohol, the abuse of which 
has ruined countless lives.

Substance abuse in any form can have devastating consequences. 
However, Trudeau does not claim to be an "abuser," only a 
recreational sampler of a product that many Canadians consider to be 
no more harmful than liquor. If he claimed to be stoned during party 
caucus meetings, voters would more likely look askance.

Trudeau also is playing well with his comments that scientific 
studies suggest that the regulation and taxation of marijuana is the 
best way to keep it out of the hands of youth.

For their part, the Conservatives - who have had a very easy ride for 
the past few years from a disorganized opposition - have stupidly 
fallen into a very predictable trap. Harper, asked about Trudeau's 
admission, said the Grit's "actions speak for themselves." Justice 
Minister Peter MacKay added, "By flouting the laws of Canada while 
holding elected office, he shows he is a poor example for all 
Canadians, particularly young ones."

Neither comment is untrue, and in fact will play well with the 
Tories' core. But it also reinforces the very impression of the 
Conservatives that the opposition would like to create - essentially 
that the party is a boneyard for angry old white guys out of touch 
with contemporary Canada.

Comically, in admitting he had never smoked pot, Harper pointed to 
his asthma. So, a reader might reasonably wonder, what would his 
behaviour be if he did not suffer from that ailment?

(NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, it should be noted, also has admitted to 
smoking pot, although not while in office. But with his party in a 
polling freefall, how many voters actually care?)

As with any calculated risk, the outcome of this manoeuvre is far 
from certain. It is potentially high-reward move, but it also comes 
with immense risk. What if the Liberals have misread the electorate? 
If they are wrong, the miscalculation could have devastating 
consequences for Trudeau's credibility.

But, on the other hand, if the party has read the voters well on this 
issue, Trudeau's move could give the recently all-but-moribund 
third-place party the momentum it needs to be a contender in the next 
federal election.

Turn off the TV. This real-life drama is much more fun to watch.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom