GRITS SPLIT OVER LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

Bill C-38: Debate Rages at Party's Weekend Convention

OTTAWA - A senior federal Liberal Cabinet minister broke ranks
yesterday with the government's opposition to legalizing marijuana as
debate raged at the party's policy convention after the deaths of four
Alberta Mounties during a grow-op raid.

Treasury Board president Reg Alcock said he will vote to legalize pot
if a resolution on the issue comes up at the policy meeting this
weekend, noting he has voted in favour of the idea at party policy
conventions dating back to 1978.

"If we actually wanted to break the back of organized crime, we would
be better off to control it," Mr. Alcock said. "When you have these
things underground, what you end up fuelling is organized crime."

He said "normal policing" has failed to stamp out marijuana, but
legalization would provide "a better chance of controlling it than we
do right now."

Mr. Alcock's views stood in stark contrast to those of Public Safety
Minister Anne McLellan, who told reporters "we should not be sending
mixed signals around how we as a government view this."

The former health minister acknowledged she has been accused of being
a "puritanical zealot" over her opposition to legalization.

"This is a dangerous substance. We know it is a more potent carcinogen
than smoke tobacco. That's what the research tells us. That's
irrefutable. That's science," she said.

Among the resolutions at the meeting is a proposal to have the Liberal
party encourage the government to legalize marijuana for reasons that
include making the traffic in pot safer, and allowing the government
to "make $3-billion in tax revenue a year."

The shooting deaths of four Mounties during the ill-fated raid near
Mayerthorpe, in northwestern Alberta, spilled over into the corridors
of the conference centre and hotel where federal Liberals are holding
a four-day party convention, forcing ministers to defend the
government's policies on illegal drugs.

Much of the discussion revolved around the government's proposed
marijuana decriminalization bill, which would soften penalties for
possession of small amounts of pot, but toughen penalties for growers.

Growers could face sentences of 18 months to 14 years in jail
depending on the number of plants they were caught with.

Bill C-38 has passed first reading in the House and is now subject to
review by a parliamentary committee. Ms. McLellan noted the bill
includes provisions to force judges to take a harder line on illegal
grow-ops, including a written explanation if there is no jail time for
an offence.

"All of us, whatever role we play in society, need to understand the
seriousness of illegal grow-ops and the fact that they are not, in any
way, a victimless crime, that, in fact, most grow-ops are controlled
by and run for the benefit of organized crime," Ms. McLellan said. "I
would say all of us, including the judiciary, need to understand what
is at stake here. Yesterday was a horrible and tragic reminder."

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said the government's legislation
includes provisions to deal with grow-ops.

"This tragic event highlighted a problem of which we were aware before
and which has to be addressed in a comprehensive way," he said.

Mr. Cotler said he thought the RCMP might need more money to help in
the fight against grow-ops.

"My own view is we may have to seek enhanced resources ... more
money," he said.

Ms. McLellan said that was a debate for another day.

B.C. Liberal delegate Ginny Hasselfield said she does not believe
tougher jail sentences would have made a difference in terms of the
Alberta shootout.

"I don't know if any legislation on grow-ops would prevent something
like that from happening."

But Ms. Hasselfield said a mandatory federal jail term might cut into
the ability of organized criminal groups to recruit individuals,
including recent immigrants, to operate and tend to the marijuana
plants in the grow-ops.

She said some some streets in Surrey and Fleetwood have seven to 10
grow-ops. Some are booby-trapped, posing a danger to firefighters if
equipment malfunctions in the unoccupied houses.

"This Is a Big Issue."

Conservative leader Stephen Harper said his party continues to oppose
the government's legislation, but that he was reluctant to elaborate
on the issue on a day that should be devoted to reflection on the tragedy.

"I am reluctant to draw too many links between these events and public
policy. This is a tragedy. I think the government's marijuana bill
would be ill-considered under any circumstances," he said.

Legislation cannot avoid all tragedies, he said.

"Whenever there is a tragedy like this, there are calls for immediate
and drastic action. The left will call for more gun control, and the
right will call for tougher penalties," he said.

"But the truth of the matter: If someone dangerous or disturbed
decides to engage in this kind of action, there's no world in which we
can ensure that all of these things can be prevented."