DOPE BILL HARD TO SWALLOW FOR SOME GRITS

OTTAWA -- Canada's new pot bill came under continued attack yesterday, with
some backbench Liberal MPs questioning their own government's priorities.

A handful of frustrated Grits lashed out against the plan to decriminalize
small amounts of marijuana - a move they say sends mixed messages to youth
and fails to address the dangers of drug-impaired drivers.

A fuming Scarborough Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis suggested the marijuana
bill is one more signal that Prime Minister Jean Chretien should vacate his
post early - and "the sooner the better."

"After 10 years of being in power, he's forgotten the dynamics of
democracy, the dynamics of listening to the caucus," Karygiannis said.

In the Commons, Justice Minister Martin Cauchon was grilled again by
opposition members as well as a colleague in his own Liberal caucus. His
plan to decriminalize up to 15 grams of weed would result in basic fines of
$150 for adults and $100 for youth.

London MP Joe Fontana called drug-impaired driving a "serious concern" for
Canadians and raised concerns the bill would encourage marijuana users to
toke and drive.

After question period, Fontana said it would be foolhardy to pass
legislation to decriminalize without proper testing tools and training for
police officers.

Cauchon stressed that drug-impaired driving is already a serious offence,
but admitted there is no valid test to measure impairment.

"Work in progress" tests are under way in B.C. and will be speeded up to
result in amendments to the Criminal Code, he said.

Tests on blood and physical behaviour will help enforce the law, but
Cauchon couldn't say if they would be in place by the time legislation is
passed.

Liberal MP Janko Perik vowed to oppose the bill and questioned the
government's priorities. Why, he asked, are some Liberals focusing on
relaxing penalties for marijuana instead of other important issues like
going after sex offenders? "Who is that who is pushing that, and what kinds
of drugs are they using?" Perik asked.