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Decriminalization will cause border delays, hurt economy, Alliance
critic says: Tighter border security
OTTAWA - Canada's softening stance on marijuana and hard drugs will
provoke a backlash in the U.S. Congress that would lead to harsher
border measures on Canadian travellers and cause serious economic
consequences for the economy, warns Stockwell Day, the Canadian
Alliance foreign affairs critic.
Mr. Day told the National Post the Alliance supports making simple
possession of five grams of marijuana a summary-conviction offence,
with a far less serious punishment.
But he believes the Liberal government's plan to decriminalize
possession and cultivation of less than 30 grams is going too far.
Mr. Day said decriminalization of even 30 grams -- which equals about
50 joints -- amounts to legalizing use and trafficking of the drug.
If the Liberal government proceeds with decriminalization, Mr. Day said
it will result in U.S. border harassment of Canadian travellers and
delays in the flow of the 85% of Canadian exports sent to the United
States, worth US$1.5-billion a day.
"The Liberal approach to changing the definition of possession is going
to create problems related to the border issues," Mr. Day said.
Mr. Day said the move to decriminalize marijuana coupled with the new
Vancouver Mayor's decision to open drug injection clinics for heroin
addicts will lead to tougher border inspections that will clog up
exports and the flow of Canadians into the United States.
"The overall approach of softening our stance on drug use in Canada is
alarming our American allies. We should be in discussion with them. I'm
sure they are also concerned about the trend to legalized drug rooms or
injection sites which are going to increasingly lead to a softening on
our approach to hard drugs also."
U.S. drug czar John Walters and Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to
Canada, have already warned that loosening the drug laws in Canada will
trigger tighter border security.
However, the Liberal government has ignored U.S. concerns with Wayne
Easter, the Solicitor-General, saying Canada is free to make its own
laws. The subject will likely be raised this week when Mr. Easter meets
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft in Washington.
Martin Cauchon, the Justice Minister, has said he wants to rescind the
law against marijuana possession, saying a lifelong criminal record is
too great a penalty since it leaves young people unable to travel to
the U.S. or to take up certain jobs.
He wants anyone caught with possession of less than 30 grams to be
given a fine akin to a parking ticket rather than be saddled with a
criminal record.
The U.S. ambassador told Global Sunday yesterday that border security
will become a major irritant if the Liberal government's proceeds with
the decriminalization of of marijuana, warning it could lead to clogged
borders that could seriously harm the Canadian economy.
"The fact is that already there is quite a bit marijuana drugs coming
into the United States from Canada. We don't think that is a good
thing," he said.
"What we want to do is reduce this drug trade. We think decriminalizing
would be a step that might make it more difficult to halt this flow
.... Something like this could have the effect of putting more pressure
on the border."
Mr. Walters said last week the United States is already alarmed that 95
% of the marijuana grown in British Columbia is sent south of the
border. The growers are largely Vietnamese organized crime groups who
have moved into Ontario and Quebec to supply the U.S. market with
high-potency and high-quality marijuana, he said.
Canadian police have joined the U.S. drug control czar in warning that
easing the penalties is a step in the wrong direction.
In the New Year, Mr. Cauchon plans to remove marijuana possession from
the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, where penalties include a
criminal record, into the federal Contraventions Act, which governs
such things as driving on federal wharves and abandoning vessels in a
public harbour.
People caught with marijuana under 30 grams would get a ticket. The
current maximum amount under the Contraventions Act is $500, but there
is no indication what the fine would be marijuana possession.
Pubdate: Mon, 16 Dec 2002
Source: National Post (Canada)
Contact letters@nationalpost.com
Website: National Post
Copyright: 2002 Southam Inc.
Author: Robert Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief
critic says: Tighter border security
OTTAWA - Canada's softening stance on marijuana and hard drugs will
provoke a backlash in the U.S. Congress that would lead to harsher
border measures on Canadian travellers and cause serious economic
consequences for the economy, warns Stockwell Day, the Canadian
Alliance foreign affairs critic.
Mr. Day told the National Post the Alliance supports making simple
possession of five grams of marijuana a summary-conviction offence,
with a far less serious punishment.
But he believes the Liberal government's plan to decriminalize
possession and cultivation of less than 30 grams is going too far.
Mr. Day said decriminalization of even 30 grams -- which equals about
50 joints -- amounts to legalizing use and trafficking of the drug.
If the Liberal government proceeds with decriminalization, Mr. Day said
it will result in U.S. border harassment of Canadian travellers and
delays in the flow of the 85% of Canadian exports sent to the United
States, worth US$1.5-billion a day.
"The Liberal approach to changing the definition of possession is going
to create problems related to the border issues," Mr. Day said.
Mr. Day said the move to decriminalize marijuana coupled with the new
Vancouver Mayor's decision to open drug injection clinics for heroin
addicts will lead to tougher border inspections that will clog up
exports and the flow of Canadians into the United States.
"The overall approach of softening our stance on drug use in Canada is
alarming our American allies. We should be in discussion with them. I'm
sure they are also concerned about the trend to legalized drug rooms or
injection sites which are going to increasingly lead to a softening on
our approach to hard drugs also."
U.S. drug czar John Walters and Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to
Canada, have already warned that loosening the drug laws in Canada will
trigger tighter border security.
However, the Liberal government has ignored U.S. concerns with Wayne
Easter, the Solicitor-General, saying Canada is free to make its own
laws. The subject will likely be raised this week when Mr. Easter meets
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft in Washington.
Martin Cauchon, the Justice Minister, has said he wants to rescind the
law against marijuana possession, saying a lifelong criminal record is
too great a penalty since it leaves young people unable to travel to
the U.S. or to take up certain jobs.
He wants anyone caught with possession of less than 30 grams to be
given a fine akin to a parking ticket rather than be saddled with a
criminal record.
The U.S. ambassador told Global Sunday yesterday that border security
will become a major irritant if the Liberal government's proceeds with
the decriminalization of of marijuana, warning it could lead to clogged
borders that could seriously harm the Canadian economy.
"The fact is that already there is quite a bit marijuana drugs coming
into the United States from Canada. We don't think that is a good
thing," he said.
"What we want to do is reduce this drug trade. We think decriminalizing
would be a step that might make it more difficult to halt this flow
.... Something like this could have the effect of putting more pressure
on the border."
Mr. Walters said last week the United States is already alarmed that 95
% of the marijuana grown in British Columbia is sent south of the
border. The growers are largely Vietnamese organized crime groups who
have moved into Ontario and Quebec to supply the U.S. market with
high-potency and high-quality marijuana, he said.
Canadian police have joined the U.S. drug control czar in warning that
easing the penalties is a step in the wrong direction.
In the New Year, Mr. Cauchon plans to remove marijuana possession from
the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, where penalties include a
criminal record, into the federal Contraventions Act, which governs
such things as driving on federal wharves and abandoning vessels in a
public harbour.
People caught with marijuana under 30 grams would get a ticket. The
current maximum amount under the Contraventions Act is $500, but there
is no indication what the fine would be marijuana possession.
Pubdate: Mon, 16 Dec 2002
Source: National Post (Canada)
Contact letters@nationalpost.com
Website: National Post
Copyright: 2002 Southam Inc.
Author: Robert Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief
