LEGALIZED POT IN GRIT PARTY PLANS?

DELEGATES to the Liberal Party convention next month will debate a motion
to legalize and tax marijuana sales, bringing in billions in new tax
revenue. Parliament is already debating legislation to decriminalize
marijuana, but a resolution by Alberta Liberals would go much further.

It would tax the proceeds of legalized 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 Ottawa convention.

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

Gay Marriage Issue

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
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.

As expected, Quebec delegates are asking the party rank and file to reject
an invitation by the U.S. to join the missile defence project.

The issue is a hot-button issue for the Liberals, particularly in Quebec,
where missile defence has little support.

Parliament has yet to vote on the concept. Conservative MPs are more likely
to endorse it than the governing minority Liberals. Prime Minister Paul
Martin has said he, too, would reject the weaponization of space, but has
not rejected joining the U.S. proposal out of hand.

Martin faces an automatic leadership review but is expected to sail through
unscathed as there is little appetite to change leaders during a minority
government.