LIBERALS TO DEBATE LEGAL, TAXABLE POT

OTTAWA -- 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 CP 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.

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 not to 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, such as the legal pot resolution, must make it through debate in a
workshop before going to all delegates for approval or defeat.

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

A resolution will be voted on "urging the government of Canada to uphold
traditional Canadian values and to honour its commitments under
international law," by rejecting a Canadian role in the missile system "and
all other systems that include space-based weapons."

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, where Conservative MPs are more
likely to endorse it than the governing minority Liberals.