POT BILL IN LIMBO

The Commons justice committee is unlikely to deal with the
government's controversial bill decriminalizing marijuana before the
next election, says Liberal MP John Maloney, its chairperson.

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler has denied he intends to scrap the
bill, but reaction to the murder of four Alberta Mounties last March
and other drug-related crimes have put pre-election pressure on the Liberals.