NDP, SASK. PARTY SPAR OVER SMOKING

The Saskatchewan Party is crying hypocrisy after the NDP accepted
payment for a convention brochure ad supporting marijuana
legalization and then introduced plans to go after tobacco companies.

But the NDP government fired back Thursday by revealing the
Opposition received contributions from tobacco companies.

The Saskatchewan Party took issue with a full-page ad that appeared
in the NDP convention booklet from the group eNDProhibition, which
calls itself the unofficial anti-prohibition wing of the national party.

The ad contains a quote from federal NDP Leader Jack Layton stating
the party is in favour of modernizing marijuana laws and creating a
legal environment "where people can enjoy marijuana in the peace and
quiet of their own home, or in a cafe, without the fear of being criminalized."

During Question Period on Thursday, Saskatchewan Party MLA June
Draude inquired how the government could introduce legislation this
week that would allow the province to sue tobacco companies for
health-care costs while the NDP accepted payment to run the
eNDProhibition ad in its convention booklet.

"The NDP went to great lengths to make sure you can't smoke a
cigarette in a cafe in Saskatchewan yet the federal leader of the NDP
says you should be able to smoke a joint in a cafe," Draude said in the House.

Justice Minister Frank Quennell said the NDP believes in open and
democratic debate of issues, such as the decriminalization of
marijuana laws that was debated at the party's convention last weekend.

While the federal NDP supports the decriminalization of marijuana,
which falls under the federal government's jurisdiction, the
provincial government has serious concerns about it in regards to
health risks and drug-impaired driving, Quennell said.

Healthy Living Services Minister Graham Addley insisted it was the
Saskatchewan Party and Draude herself who was being hypocritical.
Draude was one of five Opposition MLAs who voted against the
province-wide smoking ban, which has been in effect since Jan. 1, 2005.

He also revealed the Opposition accepted a $10,000 donation from
Imperial Tobacco Canada prior to the 2003 election. The Saskatchewan
Party also received contributions from the Canadian Tobacco
Manufacturers Council in 2004 and 2005.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said he did not know until
Thursday that the party had received donations from tobacco companies
and subsequently made the decision such contributions would no longer
be accepted. Wall said he doesn't pore over the list of the party's
donors from previous years.

"There is a certain amount of importance to not knowing who provides
this party money. We want to be able to provide even-handed
government leadership, reaction to all companies, to all groups, to
all peoples,"
he said.