LIBERALS DEBATE DOPE TAX

OTTAWA -- Delegates to the Liberal party convention in Ottawa next month
will debate a motion from Alberta Grits to legalize and tax marijuana.
Parliament is already debating legislation to decriminalize marijuana, but
a resolution by Alberta Liberals would go much further. It would tax the
proceeds of legal pot sales, which the resolution says would bring in $3
billion in revenue each year.

"Legalizing marijuana would be a serious blow to drug dealers and organized
crime financially," says the resolution for the March 5-6 gathering.
Delegates are told part of the money could go to drug awareness.

"Resolved that a portion of these tax revenues be used to educate youth
against drug use and to provide treatment for those who are adversely
affected by use of marijuana."

It's just one of dozens of policy proposals obtained by The Canadian Press
that will be debated by delegates to the convention.

Another resolution, from British Columbia, asks for stiffer sentences for
those involved in marijuana grow-ops.

Meanwhile, a party group called the Senior Liberals Commission is asking
delegates to urge the government to enact legislation to respect what it
calls "alternative forms of social lifestyle," but to not alter the
definition of marriage.

But Liberal youth activists are working on a campaign called "It's the
Charter, Stupid," with rallies and demonstrations to lobby delegates to
support the government's same-sex marriage legislation before Parliament.

Some resolutions will be chosen as priority issues by party officials and
will automatically be included for a vote by all delegates. Others, like
the legal pot resolution, must make it through debate in a workshop in
order to be presented for approval or defeat by all delegates.