LAYTON VISIT GOES TO POT

Leader Talks Guns And Drugs In Edmonton

EDMONTON -- Guns and pot dominated NDP Leader Jack Layton's visit to
Edmonton yesterday.

Layton announced his plan to spend more than $150 million annually to
get tough on crime, help low-income families and end corporate tax
cuts.

It was afterwards that Layton told reporters he did not force two
former marijuana activists to resign as NDP candidates this week.

At a rally in front of hundreds of lively supporters at the Winspear
Centre, Layton said that if elected prime minister next month he would
spend $100 million in each of the following four years to put 2,500
more police officers on the street.

He vowed to spend another $50 million annually for crime prevention
strategies and $25 million over the next four years to strengthen
witness protection programs.

"As prime minister, I'm going to make sure that we invest in the
long-term preventative measures that keep our kids out of gangs,"
Layton said.

Additionally, he told the cheering, sign-waving crowd, he would allow
cities, communities and provinces to choose to implement absolute bans
on handguns, crack down on the sale of illegal weapons on the Internet
and rewrite parts of the Criminal Code.

Those changes would include applying first-degree murder charges to
all gang-related homicides, making drive-by shootings and firing at
buildings indictable offences, and re-classifying auto theft as a more
serious offence.

Following the love-in, Layton was dogged by questions about his
party's relationship with the Marijuana party.

Layton told reporters he never made a deal with the party, and did not
force two former pot activists to resign as NDP candidates in B.C.
this week.

That contradicts claims by marijuana promoter Marc Emery, who says he
raised thousands of dollars for the NDP and signed up new members in
exchange for support for his cause of legalization.

Layton said the two B.C. candidates who suddenly resigned this week
did so voluntarily.

But Edmonton marijuana activist Marge Groenendyk says she has talked
to the pair and they say the NDP forced them out.

Supporters, like fourth-year political science student Denny Holmwood,
were excited to hear Layton's message and his calls for change.

"Unlike the Conservatives, he won't cut taxes for corporations, but
lower taxes for families," Holmwood said.

He also added he liked the NDP's promise of lower tuition fees and
more funding into bursaries for low-income students.