MPs SAY NO TO DECRIMINALIZING POT POSSESSION

Central Alberta Conservative MPs Myron Thompson and Bob Mills both say
they support their government's decision not to decriminalize the
possession of marijuana.

Last week, Conservative Justice Minister Vic Toews reportedly said the
new Harper government has no plans to change Canada's marijuana
possession laws.

"It is a very short answer and the answer is no," said Toews. "We have
no plans to bring any bill forward."

Thompson said decriminalizing marijuana possession would not be an
effective way to fight crime.

"I support that decision 100 per cent," said Thompson.

"I don't think that we need to open up the Pandora's Box by starting
to do things that are against the will of our authorities, the police
officers across the country who are opposed to that idea.

"I think when you start those kinds of measures, it's a slippery
slope. What's next and how far does this go before it stops? I say
stop it before it starts."

For his part, Mills said he is "not convinced that marijuana is not a
lead-in drug to others."

"I think we are sending the wrong message if we decriminalize it. I
think as well that roadside testing is not possible and I don't want
somebody coming down Highway 2 at me under the influence," said Mills.
"I support our party's position and I think we can defend it."

The Liberal government put forward a bill that would have made
possession of a small amount of marijuana a non-criminal ticket offence.

The bill died when the 2005-2006 federal election was called.

RCMP detachments in central Alberta have been instructed not to
comment on the matter of federal marijuana possession laws.

However, national RCMP spokesperson Const. Pat Flood said the Mounties
have no specific view on the issue.

"The question of whether or not to decriminalize marijuana possession
is a matter for Parliament to decide and we will enforce the laws that
we have to enforce," said Flood.

For his part, MP Thompson said he will be working with Justice
Minister to toughen up other Canadian drug laws, particularly when it
comes to methamphetamine and its production.

"The industry of drug distribution is going on hot and heavy with the
gang organizations throughout the country. Crystal meth is getting to
be a serious problem, hurting and harming our kids, and I'm against
anything that is going to do that," said Thompson.

The government is looking at the seriousness of the drug offences in
terms of distribution and profiting from these kinds of activities,
said Thompson.

"That is what we really need to go after, stop making it so
profitable. The slap on the wrist that everyone gets who is charged
with these grow ops and these labs is ridiculous and it doesn't signal
much of a deterrent," he said.

MP Mills says he supports "toughening up some of our laws (regarding
drugs). Let's go after the sellers and pushers."

Meanwhile, Thompson says he is working on addressing the issue of
drugs in prisons.

"It's amazing the things I am finding out. To think for a moment that
gangs can operate successfully out of our prisons is getting to be a
pretty serious thing. I've got a lot more work to do in that area."

In other news, Thompson says he does not support calls for an
immediate Parliamentary debate on the nation's military commitment to
Afghanistan.

"The Taliban is the enemy of the western society. It has been well
known as the next Fascist movement in the world and it has to be
stopped before they get going again. Afghanistan is of course the
place that is targeted to do that. It's our enemy that we are fighting
over there.

"Of course we don't like war, nobody likes war, but don't forget what
the mission of this Taliban has always been, and it's not anything in
favour of protecting our independence and our freedoms that we enjoy
on this side of the world."