GRITS ROLL OUT NEW POT BILL

Add Cash To Track Stoned Drivers

Adding a dash of cash to sweeten the pot, the Liberal government has
retabled its much-maligned marijuana bill. Justice Minister Irwin Cotler
reintroduced the cannabis reform package yesterday, twinning it with
measures to track drug-impaired drivers. And to show the feds are serious
about preventing stoners from getting behind the wheel, Cotler announced
$6.9 million for law enforcement.

"The whole idea here is to make what is now voluntary, mandatory," he said.

"That is the purpose of the legislation, which is to save lives ... where
deaths are caused by drug-impaired driving."

Drug-impaired driving is already a crime, but the new bill will give police
more power, tools and training to nab suspects.

Cotler said he is confident roadside tests for drug impairment will pass
Charter challenges.

The bill decriminalizes pot possession for 15 grams or less, imposing fines
instead of criminal records.

Roundly criticized as being too soft by the Tories and too harsh by the
NDP, the proposed bill will be sent back to the Commons justice committee
for study.

A key concern for Tory justice critic Vic Toews is that the bill encourages
organized crime by reducing penalties and fuelling demand. He also raised
concerns about the lack of police resources to patrol for high drivers, and
worried about the economic impact of drawing the ire of the U.S.

U.S. FALLOUT

"How does this government guarantee us that there won't be retaliatory
action by the Americans?" he asked.

"So much of our trade depends on that back-and-forth exchange and I'm very
concerned that they're going ahead on this without taking into account the
real impact this will have on trade."

NDP MP Libby Davies said her party will push for amnesty for those already
carrying a criminal record for possessing pot.

Davies worries the cash penalty system could backfire and lead to more
intense trailing of recreational tokers.

"With the ticketing system, we may wind up with wider enforcement than we
have now," she said.