" Pot decriminalization bill goes up in smoke in Canada"

[Ice]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americ...eut/index.html

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) -- Canada's new Conservative government will scrap draft legislation that would have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Monday.

The legislation, drawn up by the previous Liberal government, alarmed police officials in Canada and the United States who said it would only encourage the already booming trade in pot.

Once the Liberals lost the January 23 election after 12 years in power, the bill looked to be in deep trouble. One of Harper's five priorities is to clamp down on crime.

"We will not be reintroducing the Liberal government's marijuana decriminalization legislation," he told a meeting of the Canadian Professional Police Association.

"I thought we might find a receptive audience here," he told his audience after winning a round of applause.

Under the Liberal bill, people found with small amounts of marijuana would have been fined but would not have received a criminal record.

Canadian police complain that judges often hand down lenient sentences on people found guilty of running operations to grow marijuana illegally.

Estimates for the value of Canada's booming pot business trade vary widely, and some experts say it is worth $8.5 billion a year.

The main center is the Pacific province of British Columbia, where criminals export potent marijuana, known as BC Bud, to the United States.

Oh no, this is really to bad.

[Hurin_Rules]

Yes, but remember, Harper does not have a majority. Whether he will be able to pass any of his proposed legislation is still very much up in the air... or 'Up in Smoke' :)

[Goofball]

Oh no, this is really to bad.

I find it amusing that a person who is in favor of everybody being able to walk around bristling with handguns in his own country somehow takes comfort and safety from the fact that a "hardened criminal" who happens to be caught with a joint in his pocket in Canada will suffer the utmost prosecution the legal system has to offer.

At any rate, this is no big surprise, nor is it any kind of a blow to the pro-marijuana types. Most of the serious pot advocates here didn't like the decrim bill anyway. They want legalization, not decriminalization, and there is a big difference between the two.

Decriminalization, while taking heat of private users, would still leave production in the hand of criminals/organized crime while legalization would solve the latter problem. Decrim is a bad idea and I'm glad it's dead for now.

[Devastatin Dave]

I'm for legalizing it. I wish they would do it here in this country. It helps "weed" out the slackers and keeps the job market open for me and my friends. The way the tax smokes in Canada these days, its cheaper to smoke pot and get a better buzz. God bless pot heads, they are important members of the economy when it comes to munchy time. Dominoes Pizza would go out of business if pot heads sobered up and realized that their pizza sucked!!!

[Ice]

I find it amusing that a person who is in favor of everybody being able to walk around bristling with handguns in his own country somehow takes comfort and safety from the fact that a "hardened criminal" who happens to be caught with a joint in his pocket in Canada will suffer the utmost prosecution the legal system has to offer.

Who would that be? I'm in favor of banning most guns, except ones that are used in hunting. That includes banning most handguns. I also think that you should not be able to "walk around bristling" with any sort of firearm. I'm also in favor of making it harder to get guns.

Here's an idea:

Next time, learn a few things about me before you judge me.

[Goofball]

Who would that be? I'm in favor of banning most guns, except ones that are used in hunting. That includes banning most handguns. I also think that you should not be able to "walk around bristling" with any sort of firearm. I'm also in favor of making it harder to get guns.

Then I applaud you for your damn civilized and practical views on guns.

Here's an idea:

Next time, learn a few things about me before you judge me.

I do apologize, ghost908. I had you mixed up with another Org member who is quite a vocal handgun advocate.

My mistake.

[Devastatin Dave]

Goofy's just cranky from the lack of weed.

[Ice]

I do apologize, ghost908. I had you mixed up with another Org member who is quite a vocal handgun advocate.

My mistake.

No problem. No harm done. :)

[Kanamori]

I'm just wondering why someone would want to make it illegal, let alone criminalize it. Alcohol is by far worse for the body than pot is, and maintaining a smoking habit costs the body much less than does maintaining a cigarette habit. Not to mention just about everything else I've heard about pot is an outright lie. But oh well, people do it now just to get a rise out of me, because I actually keep my view on liberty continuous throughout.

It is one of the most harmless drugs ever. It is quite impossible to overdose. I wonder if somebody can take ten pills of Ibuprofen without having to make a trip to the hospital? Not to mention that for me, and many others, it is a way of going through some things in life more happily and deriving more enjoyment from just getting out and doing things. The pursuit of happiness was one of the things the founders fought for, and I am certainly not making the neo-liberal argument that the Government should make me more happy, I simply want the government to let me seek my own happiness when I am not harming anybody else in the slightest. If anything, pot makes more people far more benign. It is so amusing that any one would want to totally restrict some action that doesn't effect anyone else.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Then I applaud you for your damn civilized and practical views on guns.

What's so 'civilized' and 'practical' about being defenseless?

As for pot, I think it would be better to perhaps slightly legalize it, mostly due to the bad policies that have arisen from the 'war on drugs'.

Crazed Rabbit

[Ironside]

What's so 'civilized' and 'practical' about being defenseless?

Pesonally, I consider lacking the need of defending myself with a gun both civilized and practical.

[Goofball]

What's so 'civilized' and 'practical' about being defenseless?

Speak for yourself, my friend.

Even without any guns, I am far from defenseless. And with a hunting rifle or shotgun (which I have no objection to people owning) I would consider myself a force to tread lightly around if you were intent on harming me or mine.

Now, I know that there are many people out there who feel that they are defenceless without a large caliber handgun (a.k.a. penis extender), but as far as I'm concerned they simply suffer from a lack of self confidence.

As for pot, I think it would be better to perhaps slightly legalize it, mostly due to the bad policies that have arisen from the 'war on drugs'.

Exactly.

Just think: without all of the crime associated with illegal drug production, you might not even feel the need to own a gun.

[Kralizec]

I assume that Canadian parliament members have the power to issue their own legislation drafts?
Then they could legalize or decriminalize pot without the cooperation of some minority government.

[lars573]

That is called a private members bill. The problem with that is it still has to go through the 3 readings and votes. With ammendments and all that. And a private bill has no guarentee of total party voting support.

[Strike For The South]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooo

[GoreBag]

I knew it. Oh, well. It'll just take longer now.

[lars573]

I'd rather they legalize and tax the shit out of pot. Hell no taxes is whey all the pot heads want decrim instead of legalize.

[Kanamori]

And still, nobody offers any arguments at all. One is led to think that they have no reason for their belief that it ought to be criminalized.

[Beirut]

Goofy's just cranky from the lack of weed.

A lack of weed in BC?

That's like saying there's a lack of guns in Texas or sand in Arabia.

[Divinus Arma]

That is a shame. One of the downfalls of conservative politics. I would be very impressed with Canada if they allowed decrim at the province (state?) level and then left the federal government out of it. That would be a real federal conservative's point of view.

Criminalization of Marijuana, in my opinion, is what makes it a "gateway drug". This is because a user trys it and realizes that it isn't nearly as bad as all the hype says. Then the user thinks that maybe all the hype over other drugs is fabricated too. This then leads them to experiment with the really bad stuff which really does destroy people.

They should legalize it simply because it creates a false impression of safety for harder drugs. Legalizing marijuana would legitamize public education on hard drugs.

Not to mention that alcohol is far more destructive to society then marijuana.

What do our canadian friends think of this topic?

[GoreBag]

I think it's a pain, but I knew it would happen. I'd rather this didn't get through legislature.

[Strike For The South]

Someone gives ma a good arguement against it. I will burn my stash.

[lars573]

That is a shame. One of the downfalls of conservative politics. I would be very impressed with Canada if they allowed decrim at the province (state?) level and then left the federal government out of it. That would be a real federal conservative's point of view.


What do our canadian friends think of this topic?

Well our justice and federal system is not yours. It works differently. Each province doesn't have a set of individual laws. It's the criminal code of Canada not the criminal code of Nova Scotia after all. Crimes are defined at the federal level and are changed at that level. So all capital and misdominer crimes are federal laws as you would see it. (Now before you ask about gay marriage that is covered by provincial marriage acts that the provincial legislative assemblies can change at their disgression) Our crimes are commited against the crown not the people.

[Divinus Arma]

Our crimes are commited against the crown not the people.

If that is the case then sovereignty rests with the crown and not the people. Which is the opposite of the United States.

Thats another strike against Canada.

[lars573]

If that is the case then sovereignty rests with the crown and not the people. Which is the opposite of the United States.

Exactly. The only similarities between Canada and the US our cultural. Go beyond that and the differences are quite large. Our democracy is a privaledge not a right

But the crown has a social contract with the people. It has a reponsibility to provide peace order and good governemnt. In that order. These days that is acomplished with a multiparty democratic system and an open society. Also the crown tends/tries to act as the representative of the people.

Thats another strike against Canada.

I fail to see how. Explain please?

[Kanamori]

The sovereignty is in name only, just like the States.

Someone gives ma a good arguement against it. I will burn my stash.

I don't need a good argument against smoking to burn my stash.

[Idaho]

Someone gives ma a good arguement against it. I will burn my stash.

If you're going to burn that - can I be next on it?

[Strike For The South]

If you're going to burn that - can I be next on it?

Lars demcoracy is a right No inbred will tell me what to do. Hell thats been my policey my whole life.

[GoreBag]

Lars demcoracy is a right No inbred will tell me what to do. Hell thats been my policey my whole life.

All rights are privileges.

[lars573]

All rights are privileges.

Agreed. Plus it's not like they'd step on us little guys more than they do already (read up on imminent domain).