CANADA'S POT

OTTAWA - Marijuana production is a violent, organized scourge that
judges must battle with firm sentences, says Deputy Prime Minister
Anne McLellan.

McLellan, speaking a day after four Mounties were killed during a raid
on a marijuana grow op in Alberta, said society must recognize the
dangers posed by a country wide boom in such operations, which are
often backed by organized crime.

The murder of the four police officers triggered a national debate
over the Liberal's proposed pot bill and whether it goes far enough to
discourage grow ops while decriminalizing possession of small amounts
of marijuana.