Cellucci: decriminalizing marijuana could mean more border slowdowns

OTTAWA - U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci is warning again that if Canada
decriminalizes marijuana possession, there could be slowdowns at the border.

"I think it comes down to perception," Cellucci said Friday. "If the
perception is it might be more easy to get marijuana here, then that could
lead to some pressure on the border because U.S. Customs immigration
officers . . . would have their antennae up."

Cellucci, who has made similar warnings before, also noted that some U.S.
states have already decriminalized marijuana use, and said the important
thing will be how Canada does it.

The federal government has said it intends to introduce legislation this
spring to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The bill would not make marijuana use legal but would replace criminal
penalties with fines - and those fined would not have criminal records.

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon will discuss the proposed law with U.S.
Attorney General John Ashcroft next week when they meet at the annual G8
meeting of justice ministers.

"I will inform him of our intentions and discuss it with him," Cauchon said
Friday in an interview.

While he understands the concerns of the American administration, Cauchon
said Canada is a sovereign country that enacts its own laws.

"I'm responding to a Canadian situation according to Canadian realities,"
he said, noting that the law will clarify the situation across the country.

Many police officers often ignore simple possession of pot. Cauchon wants
police to uniformly enforce the new law without exception.

Following the G8 meeting, Cauchon will travel to Denmark to see how the
European country has handled legal matters such as drug possession and the
civil registration of same-sex unions.