CHEECH AND CAUCHON

More proof that marijuana is bad for your brain: The federal government
plans to decriminalize small amounts of the stuff because basically it's
harmless, and double the penalty for growing it because basically it's
lethal. So which is it?

To add to the confusion, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon went to Washington
to explain the new legislation to the Americans before he explained it to
members of Parliament, because we're fiercely independent. But the
government says there is no contempt of Parliament in telling President
George W. Bush the details of this bill before revealing them to the House
of Commons because there is no bill yet.

Mr. Cauchon says the government is changing the law on maximum penalties
for growing marijuana "to send a better message, as well, that the use of
cannabis is illegal in Canada." Does he really think that most Canadians
don't already know that? And whatever happened to using the law to make
things illegal, and e-mail to send messages?

The government has yet to explain why it needs to double the maximum
penalty for growing marijuana, particularly when courts rarely impose the
maximum penalty already on the books. Nor has it explained its sudden
decision to reduce the amount of pot someone will be allowed to possess --
to 15 grams from 30 -- without being subject to a criminal charge.

It's hard not to conclude that the Liberals are just making this up as they
go along.