OPPOSING SIDES AGREE: BILL C-17 WILL NOT WORK

Nearly 70 people showed up at a town hall meeting in Abbotsford Monday
night - along with two Abbotsford police officers.

The meeting, hosted by Abbotsford MP Randy White, was held so White and
those in attendance could discuss Bill C-17.

"This is a serious issue," White told the crowd as the meeting commenced.

"I put this meeting on to warn [people] about Bill C-17."

The bill is being reintroduced by the minority federal Liberal government
with a few revisions and if passed, would mean possession of small
quantities of marijuana would be treated similar to traffic fines.
Possession of 15 grams of marijuana [about 30 joints] or less would mean
adults would pay $150 and minors would pay a $100 fine.

The bill also outlines maximum penalties for grow operations, which would
double the maximum sentence for a large scale operation from seven to 14 years.

White showed a police Odd Squad video to start off the meeting, one that
showed drug addicts and their antics on the mean streets of Vancouver's
East Side. Crack pipes, heroin, cocaine, crystal meth.

Scruffy, unbathed addicts bearing sores and horrendous self-inflicted scars
stumbling and swaying drunkenly around on the streets, crouched in alley
corners, rolling around on the ground and trying to brush off imaginary snakes.

The 11-minute video was set to classical music, pieces such as Edvard
Grieg's Hall of the Mountain King, a juxtaposition that would be humourous
if the footage wasn't so disturbing.

White said several things must happen to make Bill C-17 work.

Some examples of the ideas he outlined include: set the limit of 'small'
possession at five grams; set an age limit of 16 or older; create minimum,
not maximum penalties; make fine collection a provincial jurisdiction, not
municipal so police can focus on education and enforcement; a roadside
assessment system to determine if a driver is under a drug influence must
be introduced and no "child discounts" for possession or growing.

White invited Wagner Hills Farm's Helmut Boehm and two former drug addicts
who now work there to speak. Wagner Hills is a Christian-based
rehabilitation centre in Glen Valley, one that focuses on abstinence from
all addictive substances.

Boehm and the two farm workers all commended White for his work. The
workers, identified as Phillip and Daniel, told their stories of how
marijuana started them on a long road of addiction and how they were saved
by God and Jesus.

Others in the crowd also gave thanks to Jesus, including one man who
wondered why people use drugs to get high.

"I get my high on my knees," he said, in reference to prayer.

Pro-marijuana attendees at the meeting also spoke, including well-known
Abbotsford pot activist Tim Felger, who thanked White for "all the
misinformation."

But White appreciated the debate.

"It was an excellent discussion and some good ideas came from it," said
White. "The most important thing is that all sides agreed the bill won't work."

Felger concurred, since he believes any prohibition of marijuana is bad and
that communities would be safer if prohibition is lifted. He pointed to
numerous reports and studies backing his claims.

Felger said White is only inflating the threat of marijuana and
fear-mongering when it is unnecessary.

And on his way into the meeting, he experienced something he says is common
when he attends a meeting held by White - he ran into the two Abbotsford
police officers stationed just outside the meeting room doors.

"They said, 'Is there going to be any trouble tonight?'" said Felger. "I
said, 'Why, are you and your friends going to cause problems?'"