'DRUGS ARE NOT BAD BECAUSE THEY'RE ILLEGAL. THEY'RE ILLEGAL BECAUSE
THEY ARE BAD' - PM

If Canada were to legalize marijuana, as being advocated by four
former Vancouver mayors, the impact at the border will cause a lot of
trouble, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said.

"I don't want to say they would seal the border. But I think it would
inhibit our trade generally because they're certainly not going to
make that move in the United States," said Harper at a meeting with
representatives of the ethnic media in Vancouver. "I think as a
cross-border phenomenon this would cause Canada a lot of difficulty.
I think the Americans would...cause us a lot of trouble at the border
with the United States," said Harper, reiterating that his government
has no plans for the legalization of drugs.

Four former Vancouver mayors - Larry Campbell, Mike Harcourt, Sam
Sullivan and Philip Owen recently endorsed a coalition that wants
to end pot prohibition which they blame for rampant gang violence.

They all signed an open letter to B.C. politicians that claims a
change in the law will reduce gang violence and supported the
position of the Stop the Violence B.C. Coalition, which released a
survey showing most B.C. residents favour an end to the current marijuana laws.

"Among the most pressing issues is the contribution that cannabis
prohibition has made to organized crime and gang violence. The Fraser
Institute has estimated that B.C.'s illegal cannabis trade may be
worth up to $7 billion dollars annually. This massive illegal market
drives violence in communities throughout the province. New thinking,
new policies and collaboration across party lines are required to
protect our communities and make them safer," the letter read.

We must move from a violent unregulated market to a strictly
regulated cannabis market that is based on a public health framework.
We believe a legally regulated market for adult cannabis use has the
potential to reduce rates of cannabis use while at the same time
directly addressing organized crime concerns by starving them of this
cash cow. A regulated market would enable governments to improve
community health and safety while at the same time raising millions
in tax revenue."

The time for action is now, the mayors concluded.

But Harper was not moved.

"This government doesn't favour the legalization of drugs. We
specifically have legislation before the House of Commons to increase
penalties for those who traffic in drugs, those who try and make
money by selling addictive products to our children," said the Prime Minister.

" Look, I know the drug trade is a frustration. I know it fuels a lot
of criminal activity. But I think people, anybody is fooling
themselves if they think that somehow the drug trade would become a
nice business if it were legalized.

Drugs are not bad because they're illegal. They're illegal because
they are bad. They are corrosive to society. They're part of
worldwide criminal and sometimes even terrorism networks and they do
terrible things to people."

The proposed legalization of marijuana also did not sit well with the
majority of new-Canadians interviewed about the suggestion made by the mayors.

"I have seen the scourge of drugs...like shabu in the Philippines...I
don't want to see it in my new homeland," said Filipino-Canadian Alex Miranda.

Ching Liang who moved from China to Canada last year said he does not
understand the current laws pertaining to marijuana use.

"They say it is illegal but everyone smokes it openly anyways...so I
don't understand what they want to make legal," he said.

The mayors letter also came in for some criticism by Canada's
so-called Prince of Pot, Marc Emery.

"It is a political irony that these former mayors, former presidents
of Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, former governors, hundreds of other
previously elected and now former officials throughout the world,
along with hundreds of former police officers, all declare the war on
drugs a counter-productive failure, a gift to organized crime and a
threat to the stability of several nations, but none of them acted on
this while in the political authority of their elected or appointed
office, he wrote from a U.S. prison where he is serving time for
selling cannabis seeds.

"There is an unfathomable disconnect between actually holding
political office and doing the right thing when it comes to ending
prohibition," said Emery.