MPS SET TO WAR OVER POT

Commons Justice Committee To Review Decriminalization Plan

United in the belief that Canada must declare war on marijuana grow ops,
MPs are going to battle over how to combat the deadly menace. The strategy
to stamp out the commercial grow houses -- often booby-trapped and linked
to organized crime -- will take centre stage next month as the Commons
justice committee pores over the plan to decriminalize pot.

Under the Liberal government's proposal, maximum prison sentences for
large-scale cultivators would double to 14 years from the current seven.

But Tory MP Mark Warawa called that a "naive" attempt at tackling a problem
that's escalating at an alarming rate.

"Canada is one of the most lenient nations when it comes to enforcing our
drug laws," Warawa said.

"For producing marijuana, the fines are an average of $1,500, which is
considered just a small cost of doing business. For a small investment,
organized crime can make millions of dollars."

'SOFT' APPROACH

Because of Canada's "soft" approach, marijuana is flowing across the border
to the U.S., where it's traded for cash, cocaine and illegal firearms,
Warawa said. Boosting maximum sentences is meaningless because courts
aren't imposing anything close to the maximum.

"Only a fraction of those convicted actually do jail time, and even then
it's only minor jail time," he said.

In the House of Commons yesterday, Tory MP Belinda Stronach pointed to a
New York Times report on how Canada's burgeoning grow-op and trafficking
industry is causing huge security concerns for the U.S. She urged the
government to withdraw its "misguided" pot bill to save the economy from harm.

"The prime minister and this government are ignoring warnings from the U.S.
ambassador that there will be consequences resulting from decriminalization
causing costly cross-border delays," Stronach said.

Liberal MP Paul DeVillers, who chairs the Commons justice committee,
expects grow-op penalties will be one of the most contentious parts when
MPs begin studying the bill next month. But he insists upping the maximum
sentence is the best way to deter grow ops while leaving room for "judicial
discretion."

"We need to step up the consequences for those involved in grow ops. Police
are expressing frustration that when they make arrests, the penalties
aren't severe enough for the risks ... they need to bring these people to
justice," he said.

"By doubling the maximums, Parliament is sending the message to courts that
it wants severe penalties imposed."

Judges will be required to issue written reasons when a jail term is not
imposed under the new law. And Crown attorneys can always appeal the
sentence as a "safeguard against a loose-cannon judge making a poor
decision," DeVillers said.

But NDP MP Libby Davies said the bill is "riddled with contradictions"
because it decriminalizes marijuana yet leaves users with few legitimate
avenues to access the product. Relaxing cultivation rules -- and eventually
legalizing pot -- would reduce the demand from big commercial growers, she
said.

'A SITUATION OF CHAOS'

"There's a very good argument that prohibition equals a situation of chaos.
There are no rules, no regulation, there's violence, it feeds into
organized crime," she said.

"It's a losing battle, and I think at some point we need to confront the
reality of that."

Tory MP Myron Thompson believes only "heavy" mandatory minimum sentences
will serve as a deterrent for commercial growers. There must be a more
serious penalty than the "knuckle raps" now imposed by the courts.

Calling the entire bill "flawed," Thompson suggested the feds could give
grow-operators a one-time shot at amnesty.