MINISTERS UNEASY ABOUT NEW POT BILL

Fear Return Of Biker Turf Wars

The federal government's new law to decriminalize pot possession has Quebec
lawmakers fuming that their lengthy war against criminal biker gangs could
go up in smoke and that teens could let their perceived new freedoms go to
their heads.

Speaking out yesterday in light of a bill tabled in Ottawa this week that
would liberalize Canada's marijuana laws, Quebec's public security and
justice ministers said they fear a resurgence in criminal gang activity as
demand for drugs spikes and bikers' pockets are lined anew.

"We see a link between the consumption of marijuana and the financing of
organized crime," said Public Security Minister Jacques Chagnon.

"If the idea is to make possession no longer criminal, the risk is that
consumption will go up. And when consumption goes up, it's organized crime
that profits. This is what we must fight."

After years of battling bikers who largely control Quebec's illegal drug
trade, police were finally starting to make advances with major busts like
Operation Printemps 2001 and the conviction of kingpins like Hells Angels
boss Maurice (Mom) Boucher.

Dozens of Quebecers have died in years of turf wars between rival biker
gangs peddling narcotics and pot.

Farmers have been victims of intimidation by guerrilla cannabis growers,
who set up shop in fields and threaten landowners who protest.

"We already have a problem of great insecurity on the part of many farmers,
who see people walking in their fields and planting (cannabis) plants,"
said Chagnon, adding that police are co-ordinating their efforts to crack
down on the practice this summer.

Quebec's justice and public security ministers said they favour keeping
drug laws stringent, but giving prosecutors more discretion in pressing
charges.

The province is even willing to put its money where its mouth is. Justice
Minister Marc Bellemare announced yesterday that simple possession would be
added to a Quebec program developed in 1995 that gives prosecutors
discretionary powers for pursuing cases.

Bellemare said of about 100,000 criminal charges laid in Quebec each year,
about 5 to 6 per cent are currently dropped under the program.

While he understands the point of the new federal law is to avoid
stigmatizing respectable citizens and youth with criminal records for
smoking a joint from time to time, Bellemare said he's not certain that's
the message youth are hearing.

"Does the fear of stigma not have a dissuasive effect?" he asked.

"What's the difference between drunk driving for an 18-year-old driver and
smoking and driving? It's very hard for us to detect small amounts of
marijuana in the blood, so what is the message to young drivers? It's too
soon to answer, but it certainly doesn't help."

The new federal law proposes wiping possession of fewer than 15 grams of
pot off the books, fining youth less than adults for possession and
instituting tougher penalties if caught driving with marijuana.