CONTROVERSIAL BILLS UNLIKELY TO GET PASSED, BOUDRIA SAYS

Same-Sex Marriage, Decriminalizing Pot Expected To Be Handed To Martin Regime

OTTAWA -- The federal government held out little hope yesterday that it
will pass a law to decriminalize marijuana this fall, indicating the two
most controversial projects of Jean Chretien's last months as Prime
Minister will probably be passed on to Paul Martin's regime.

Government House Leader Don Boudria acknowledged yesterday that the
marijuana bill is unlikely to make it through Parliament this fall and said
it is not likely that the government will move up the planned vote on a
bill to legalize same-sex marriage.

The last parliamentary session of Mr. Chretien's tenure opens Monday, with
a legislative agenda dominated by a drive to clean up old business, rather
than initiate new policy.

Mr. Boudria said he would like to have the pot bill passed by the end of
the fall session, but suggested that is unlikely.

"Can we have a vote, the committee [hearings], bring it back to the House
at report stage, and have third reading? The bill is beginning," he said.
"My goal is to get it as far as possible."

He gave little hope to MPs who want a quick fall vote on the bill to
legalize same-sex marriage, saying it is not likely that the government
will bring the bill before Parliament before the Supreme Court rules on its
legality. That will not happen until at least next year.

"I don't see us moving with legislation until the Supreme Court has
pronounced itself, and that's probably not going to happen very shortly,"
Mr. Boudria said.

Mr. Boudria said that he is planning for a fall session that will continue
to mid-December, weeks after a new Liberal leader is to be chosen, and
insisted that will not exacerbate internal Liberal divisions. "New leader
or not, it's still the Liberal Party that remains in power," he said.

Mr. Boudria acknowledged that one bill derided by Mr. Martin, the First
Nations Governance Act, is "stalled in the House" and said he would consult
the opposition on its future.

Mr. Boudria is largely left shepherding a series of old bills, with only a
few additions. Priority would be given to a new bill to speed up changes to
the electoral map, which would make it easier for Mr. Martin to call a
spring election; and to pushing ahead a bill to create a parliamentary
ethics commissioner.

New bills to be introduced include changes to the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency's powers; new veterans' legislation; and a bill establishing the
minimum conditions for a group running election candidates to be listed as
a political party.

Mr. Chretien's government does face a possible back-bench backlash on at
least one bill: the controversial one to regulate reproductive technology,
which would prohibit human cloning and regulate practices such as embryonic
stem-cell research.

As many as 30 Liberal backbenchers have lined up against the bill, in
addition to the opposition -- enough to defeat it.

Mr. Boudria insisted the government will not hold a free vote, which would
allow Liberal MPs to vote as they see fit. "It's government legislation.
It's not a free vote."

However, Liberal MP Paul Szabo said he believes the Liberal backbenchers
would still vote against it, and the government can pass it only if they
split the bill in two pieces or make a deal with the opposition.

If they do make a deal with the opposition, the bill will be stalled in the
Senate, Mr. Szabo predicted. "I would be very surprised if it [passed]."