MP RESPONDS TO LETTER

Re: Letter to editor, January 15, 2010, "Convenient timing for proroguing
Parliament"

Bill Forst appears to endorse my private member's bill for which I'm
grateful, but regrettably he misconstrues the effect of proroguing. As
Mr. Forst says, the bill, C-475, tackles crystal meth and ecstasy
drugs, and has attracted nationwide support, from a vast array of
people: police and drug treatment experts on Bowen Island, the West
Vancouver Police Department, national/provincial law enforcement
officers, teachers and educators from across the riding that I
represent, as well as numerous municipal councillors, mayors, regional
district leaders. I am honoured to announce that the BC Association of
Chiefs recently passed a motion in support of this bill. Happily, the
other federal parties appeared to also support the bill, by their
initial comments, when I introduced the Bill in the House last November.

Furthermore, contrary to what Mr. Forst wrote, private member bills
will continue unchanged into the next session of the House. For more
information on this bill or to sign the petition in support, please
visit www.johnweston.ca

Through the Olympic and Paralympic Games, my team and I will be
working hard with constituents to leverage the five benefits readers
have emphasized - one benefit for each of the Olympic circles:
business, investment, tourism, foreign students studying in Canada,
and personal health and fitness (Martha Perkins, "How do you catch the
spirit," Undercurrent, January 8th).

The January 12th town hall, which attracted several people from Bowen
Island, allowed panellists to "Catch the Spirit" with us: Steve
Podborski, moderator and one of the Crazy Canucks; Annamay Pierse,
Olympic athlete; John Weston, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver
- - Sunshine Coast - Sea-to-Sky Country; Senator Nancy Greene Raine,
former Olympic gold medalist and Canada's female athlete of the
century; Minister of State for Sport, Gary Lunn; and Paralympic
athlete, Andrea Holmes.

John Weston

Member of Parliament