A TOKIN' GESTURE

It's hard to imagine a more natural fit for "Conservative leader" than
Joe Clark. A stodgy 60-something, a former prime minister with a
penchant for thoughtful (or windy) policy-oriented responses to heavy
questions, and resolutely conservative in his public image and private
life alike.

He's the antithesis, in fact, of either the trendy young liberatarians
or the holdover hippies who make up the membership of the Marijuana
party.

So it's noteworthy when Mr. Clark starts singing their song -- speaking
forthrightly for the decriminalization of marijuana.

Speaking Tuesday in Quebec City, he said it's wrong for 600,000
Canadians to be stuck with criminal records for possessing marijuana --
something that, clearly, a majority of their fellow citizens accept and
police rarely pay much attention to any more.

He's right. The law is harsh and arbitrarily enforced, and it ought not
be on the books.