STRONACH CAUTIOUS ON CHANGING POT LAW

VANCOUVER -- Conservative leadership candidate Belinda Stronach warned
yesterday of the economic threat posed by proposals to decriminalize marijuana.

The 37-year-old businesswoman told an offbeat Vancouver radio show that
liberalizing pot use would lead to more searches and delays in the flow of
goods at the U.S. border.

"I think it's a bigger issue than we're willing to admit," she told JACK-FM
on the popular morning Larry and Willy show.

"If we were to decriminalize marijuana I think our great neighbour to the
south would have a lot of problems with that and I think it would very much
affect the Canadian economy."

Stronach said more than $500 billion worth of goods are shipped between the
two countries each year.

She appeared nervous when she walked into the tiny studio crowded with
reporters and photographers. The hosts themselves conceded on air
afterwards that they were also taken aback by the attention, saying they
had never seen that much media in their studio during their 18 years as a team.

One caller asked the former chief executive officer of auto parts giant
Magna International how much weight she could bench press and her current
marital status.

"She's pretty hot and I'm wondering if she's married," said another caller.

Stronach joked she wouldn't be lining up any dates over the phone.

Stronach, who is divorced, said her 10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old
son are also intrigued by her run.

"His friend Adam said to him, 'I heard they were talking about your mom on
the radio and they were talking about her being hot and sexy' and my son
was cracking up and having a hard time thinking of his mom being hot and
sexy." She was asked the inevitable marijuana question now facing all
politicians: did she smoke pot and did she inhale?

"Yeah, I grew up in a regular, you know, environment, went to high school."

"You inhaled?" asked Willy.

"I don't really remember," said Stronach, appearing uncomfortable.