CRIME, GROW OPS HOT TOPICS AT PLATEAU FORUM

Practice makes perfect and, after nearly two years of election mode
in B.C., the Westwood Plateau Community Association has found a
winning formula for bringing politics to the people.

At its forum for the riding of Port Moody-Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam
Wednesday night, candidates grilled each other, trying to bring out
the worst in their opponents while highlighting their own virtues.

Unlike the big federal campaign, where the object is to nail the
leader, in Coquitlam, everyone jumped into the fray.

Lewis Dahlby said the views of New Democrat Mary Woo Sims on human
rights, "don't protect my rights as a Libertarian." Making housing a
right, he said, "creates an obligation for someone to provide that
housing, even if they're lazy."

Sims told Liberal Jon Kingsbury that under his party's reign, Canada
has fallen from top spot on the United Nation's list to fifth. "How
are you going to address the social deficit you've created while
addressing the fiscal deficit?" Kingsbury's answer was that Canada
was going to become a world leader in environmental technology.
"We're going to be as green as green can be."

Independent Greg Watrich, who supports marriage only for
heterosexuals, had wanted to challenge Conservative James Moore for
the nomination for the riding but was shut out. "Many social
conservative voters were distressed when James Moore voted for
same-sex marriage," he said. "A vote for James Moore is no longer a
vote to support Stephen Harper."

Judging by audience response, same-sex marriage is a dead issue on
the Plateau.
Crime is not: When the people's written questions were read, it dominated.
Any move toward de-criminalizing marijuana supported by
Libertarians and the Greens' Scott Froom got just a couple of hands
clapping. But crackdowns on grow ops pulled the loudest applause of
the night from a community infected with illegal drug factories.

"Marijuana is a cash crop for organized crime," Moore said.
"Marijuana is exchanged for cocaine. It is the currency that fuels
organized crime." He said the pot crop is the reason for the
proliferation of hand guns in Canada and hand gun crime. "If you're
getting your wealth off drugs, you're getting your wealth by
poisoning the minds of kids and I believe you should go to jail for a
very long time," he said.

Here's how other candidates responded to crime concerns:

Kingsbury: "Judges can't put criminals in jail because there's no
room for them," he said. The Liberals' plan is preventative, starting
from early learning initiatives to daycare and beyond.

Dahlby: "Legalize all drugs as they were before 1917. The problem of
crime is related to prohibition."

Sims: "Our party is about prevention... We can't be sending more
people to jails without addressing prevention." The party platform
calls for a reverse onus for bail on gun-related crimes (convincing a
judge that bail is appropriate) and strengthening witness protection.

Froom: Regulate marijuana and decriminalize personal use, and deal
with grow ops.

Watrich: Counter the media's "glorification" of crime with reality education.

Some other notable moments from Wednesday's meeting:

Biggest laugh: at Dahlby's comment on same-sex marriage: "The
government should not be in the business of imposing contracts on
consenting adults." People should write their own contracts for
union, with a standard fall-back in case the marriage doesn't last,
he said. "You don't find out the rules until you get divorced. I've
been divorced. I know."

Loudest disapproval: at independent Greg Watrich after he accused
Moore of shaking Prime Minister Paul Martin's hand right after the
same-sex marriage vote and of having "a secret deal" with Vancouver
Centre NDP candidate, and gay man, Svend Robinson.

Moore's reply: "I was thanking [Martin] for autographing a picture in
August that was auctioned off for a Fraser Valley hospice." As for
the conspiracy? "Of course there's no secret deal. That's ridiculous."