Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jan 2014
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2014 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wEtbT4yU
Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Chris Selley

THE PROBLEM FOR TRUDEAU

Liberal Leader Unfocused On Pot, Prostitution

The Liberal Party of Canada has a self-styled change agent at the
helm, and it must be somewhat exhilarating for the progressive rank
and file. On marijuana policy, members were way ahead of their
soon-to-be leader when they voted to endorse legalization two years
ago. (At the time, Justin Trudeau struggled half-heartedly even to
articulate a case for decriminalization.) At February's national
Liberal convention in Montreal, members have a chance to get ahead of
their leader on prostitution policy as well: A resolution from the
party's youth wing proposes to treat (and tax) the sex trade just as
it would "any other commercial enterprise" - a steak house, say, or a
shoe store.

For Canada, it sounds unfeasibly revolutionary. But the pot and
prostitution issues both partake of a widespread opinion that the
status quo doesn't work. In November, 2012, Angus Reid found just 8%
of respondents willing to describe the War on Drugs as a "success."
Some months earlier, it found that 47% agreed current prostitution
laws "are unfair and force prostitutes into unsafe situations,"
whereas just 36% were felt they are "fair to the purpose of protecting
the public good." Moreover, 67% agreed that "providing sexual services
to another person in return for payment ... should be legal between
consenting adults."

Mr. Trudeau's marijuana legalization policy can fairly be criticized
as a low and lonely priority, but the Supreme Court's recent ruling
striking down existing prostitution laws obligates federal politicians
to tackle it. With Justice Minister Peter MacKay calling for more
study, Mr. Trudeau might have an opportunity here to strengthen his
changey-wangey, boldy-woldy persona.

"I think it's good for us to continue to be bold," Justin Kaiser, a
candidate for national president of the young Liberals, told The
Canadian Press.

Maybe so. But boldness in a politician is only an attribute to the
extent he really understands the issue he's being bold about. And even
on marijuana, that's somewhat an open question with Mr. Trudeau.

His pitch is logical enough: We're much better at keeping alcohol and
tobacco away from children than we are at keeping marijuana away from
children, so why not use the same regulatory approach? The problem is
that it does nothing to counteract anyone's beliefs or suspicions that
marijuana is far more dangerous or disreputable than alcohol or tobacco.

Mason Tvert, co-director of Colorado's successful pot legalization
campaign, argues it's essential to counteract such beliefs before
pitches like Mr. Trudeau's can gain purchase. But it's not 100% clear
Mr. Trudeau even believes it himself. He's clearly comfortable enough
with marijuana to have smoked it from time to time. But as recently as
October 2012, he was going on about his worries that it "disconnects
you a little bit from the world" and is "not great for your health."
The Conservatives have been appealing directly to those sentiments
with radio advertising, especially in socially conservative ethnic
communities.

Whatever the polls say, prostitution is a vastly more complicated
issue than pot. People don't just debate the effects of prostitution
but what prostitution is: Some see it as legitimate commerce
transacted by empowered women; others see it as violence, even
slavery, by definition; and there's every opinion in between, none of
which neatly correspond to party or ideological affiliations.

At first blush, the Swedish approach to the sex trade might seem 
marketable to timid Canadians: It's compassionate in that it does not 
punish prostitutes, but judgmental in that it punishes their clients. 
But adherents tend to underplay the risks inherent to forcing 
prostitution into the shadows - not just violence and exploitation 
but an inability to detect and prevent it. And the Angus Reid poll 
found far less support for Sweden's approach (16%) than for New 
Zealand's, which is outright legalization and is generally considered 
a success, though hardly a panacea.

Mr. Trudeau's office "neatly straddled the fence" when asked about the
prostitution resolution, CP reported. "Ultimately, the government must
respond [to the Supreme Court ruling] in a way that addresses both
community safety and the security and safety of all those involved in
the sex trade," said a spokesperson.

It doesn't seem like a sustainable line. Surely Mr. Trudeau doesn't
trust a government he describes as troglodytic to craft a suitable
solution to such a complex, delicate problem. Surely, with a one-year
deadline from the Supreme Court looming, he'll have something concrete
to offer. But especially in light of his yet-to-be-tested marijuana
policy, one can understand his and his advisers' reluctance. He has
yet to face really tough policy debates, and this is an awfully
difficult one to navigate with training wheels on. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D