TOP REFORM MP VOWS TO OPPOSE UA IF IT MAKES POT LEGAL

OTTAWA - One of Reform's highest-ranking MPs yesterday threatened to walk
out of the United Alternative conference and campaign against a new party
if delegates endorse a controversial policy to legalize marijuana.

"If the marijuana resolution goes ahead, I am out of here," said Randy
White, Reform's House leader and longtime anti-drug campaigner. "Not only
will I not be involved in this United Alternative, I will run against it in
the next election," said the MP for Langley-Abbotsford.

The UA's policy committee included the marijuana proposal in a bid to make
the proposed party more appealing to young Canadians, and to demonstrate it
has a libertarian streak.

"The prosecution of minor drug offences occupies an inordinate amount of
our police forces' time, effort and fiscal resources," the committee
proposal says. "We will investigate the advisability of decriminalizing
possession and use of marijuana by adults. We will continue to prosecute
those who traffic in illicit substances."

The federal government is currently allowing marijuana use for medical
purposes in trial cases.

Mr. White, one of the few Reform MPs yet to endorse or oppose the UA, said
he believes it is a mistake to open the door at all to legalized pot.

"I will spend a lot of time with hundreds and hundreds of people across the
country on anti-drug issues. I couldn't possibly go for that position,"
said Mr. White. "I know too many people who have been addicted to drugs who
tell me that it is the wrong thing to do. It's a bad move."

Mr. White has been under pressure from pro-UA Reformers to publicly support
the drive to create a new party, but the B.C. MP says he will not take a
stand until he sees the final policy package.