LEGISLATIVE PROCESS: BOUDRIA STRIKES NEW COMMITTEE TO STUDY POT BILL

Private member's bill opposed by the government gets through House on
a rare voice vote

Government House Leader Don Boudria says he remains committed to
getting the Liberals' bill to decriminalize marijuana possession
adopted this fall, adding that he will move to strike a new committee
this week to study the legislation.

The Cannabis Reform Bill, C-38, has been languishing on the Order
Paper for weeks amid speculation that its sponsor, Justice Minister
Martin Cauchon, may cave to increasing pressure from both inside and
outside Parliament to scuttle the controversial piece of
legislation.

But last Friday, Mr. Boudria said he secured a deal with the other
parties to start moving the bill again. He said once the bill hits
second reading in the House, expected later this week, he will hand it
to the newly-reconstituted House of Commons Special Committee on the
Non-Medical Use of Drugs, which did a study on the use and regulation
of marijuana last year.

The committee will once again be co-chaired by Liberal MP Paddy
Torsney and Alliance MP Randy White.

"I want to send it to committee as quickly as possible so that they
can start their work on it. Exactly how much time they will need, well
that's a little early to say," said Mr. Boudria, adding that he would
"very much" like to see the bill passed this fall.

The bill proposes to decriminalize possession of 15 grams or less of
pot, but double the maximum jail terms for people caught growing
marijuana for trafficking.

The Committee on the Non-Medical Use of Drugs recommended last
December in a report that the government introduce a strategy to
decriminalize the possession and cultivation of not more than thirty
grams of cannabis for personal use.

The Liberal Party's backbenches contain a number of MPs who oppose the
government's response and have vowed not to support the bill. The
Alliance and Tories also oppose the legislation, while Paul Martin,
the Liberals' leader-in-waiting, has not given C-38 firm support.

Mr. Boudria, meanwhile, said that he has a handful of bills he is
determined to deal with before he turns his attention to Bill C-38, in
a signal that the government is finally back in business.