DELEGATES BACK OFF TOUCHY PROPOSALS

Legalizing Marijuana Resolution Triggers Fireworks Among Delegates

MONTREAL -- Liberal delegates shelved Wednesday a series of hot-button
policy proposals that, if passed at a full plenary session of
delegates here today, would have called on a future Liberal government
to legalize and regulate the marijuana industry, lower the age of
consent for anal sex from 18 to 16, and expand the Vancouver
supervised injection site pilot project for drug addicts to all major
Canadian cities.

While party members narrowly supported those three proposals at a
policy workshop, the Liberals subsequently voted to prioritize three
other less controversial suggestions from the party's grass roots.

The three priority resolutions, which will be voted on by delegates
today, call on the next Liberal government to adopt an affordable
housing strategy, combat child poverty, and ban automatic and
semi-automatic weapons.

"I'm not discouraged," said Sarah Waters of Coquitlam, a 24-year-old
delegate who spoke in favour of the supervised injection site resolution.

Waters works at a home for paroled federal prisoners in Vancouver,
many of whom have addiction problems and are HIV-positive as a result
of sharing needles.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has extended Insite's
permit to operate until the end of 2007, but has cut off research
funding at the facility in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

The Harper government has also refused to allow similar projects
elsewhere in Canada, and has said it will focus on other approaches to
reducing drug use and drug-related crime.

"I think that is something that isn't going to be going away," Waters
said.

"All of the leaders have all stated their support for safe injection
sites, which is exciting, and I think we'll see some commitment to it
later on."

The marijuana resolution triggered the only fireworks at Wednesday's
"social and justice policy" workshop, with party members heckling each
other while arguing for and against the motion.

It was advanced by Marijuana party founder Marc-Boris St- Maurice, who
left the legalize-pot party to join the Liberals two years ago. He
told reporters Wednesday he thought the Liberal party is the best
vehicle to advance his cause.

When Liberals stood up to argue against pot legalization --one said it
was linked to schizophrenia -- young Liberals with St-Maurice said:
"Oh, my God," "What a moron," and "not true!"

Adam Tromblay, a youth delegate from Fort St. John dismissed concern
that legalization will increase crime.

"If we remove marijuana from the hands of criminals we can much more
effectively deal with the issues surrounding it."

Ontario delegate Bob Goulais, who argued against the pot resolution,
later questioned St-Maurice's Liberal credentials, saying: "This
workshop has been duped." St-Maurice, 37, who presented the resolution
on behalf of the young Liberals of Canada, responded by waving his
membership card.