FEDS UNVEIL ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN

MP Criticizes Federal Liberal Leader for Alleged Stance on
Decriminalizing Marijuana

OTTAWA - The launch of a new anti-drug campaign by the federal
government took a decidedly partisan turn yesterday when Conservative
MP Shelly Glover suggested that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff finds
it acceptable for youth to smoke marijuana.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and Glover were announcing a new
television and social media advertising campaign aimed at teenagers
and Glover took the opportunity to make a jab at Ignatieff.

"It's very disturbing as a parent, and as a police officer for almost
19 years, to hear the opposition, in fact the Liberal leader, say to
our children that it is OK to take marijuana in small doses," the
Manitoba MP said during her prepared remarks. She repeated her comment
in French. When she was asked by the media to explain what she meant,
and if Ignatieff has ever actually said to children that he has no
problem with them doing drugs, Glover read a quote from Ignatieff
where he said he supports the decriminalization of small amounts of
marijuana and that he doesn't comment on the "personal lifestyle
choices" of his friends or colleagues.

"That tells my children that a leader in our country is OK if they're
carrying small amounts of marijuana, it's OK if his colleagues are
personally using, when the laws in this country clearly say it is
illegal," Glover said.

Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe has also expressed support for
changes to marijuana laws, Glover said.

"My children need to hear the message very clearly from all leaders,
from all government officials that marijuana use, simple possession of
marijuana is illegal and there are consequences. The biggest
consequences to them is the destruction of their lives," said Glover.

Ignatieff's office said Glover took the leader's quote out of context
and omitted the last line of it where he said he does not want to
legalize marijuana. The Liberal party's current position is that it
would consider, but has not committed to, re-introducing an old
Liberal bill that would eliminate criminal penalties for possession of
small amounts of marijuana and would instead introduce fines.

Liberal justice critic Marlene Jennings said the party doesn't support
people using illegal drugs, but recognizes that people don't always
follow the laws, and the Liberals don't believe a young person in
particular should carry a criminal record for the rest of their lives,
possibly preventing them from entering the United States or pursuing
careers, if they are caught with a small amount of a "soft" drug.

Jennings said police agencies back that position and agree their time
is better spent going after major grow ops and organized crime than
teenagers with a joint. The Liberal party's position is not the same
thing as condoning the use of drugs by young people, Jennings said.