PM PLEDGES TO RELAX LAW

OTTAWA -- Jean Chretien may never have smoked a joint, but he's determined
to amend federal law so young people who do toke up won't be haunted by a
criminal record for the rest of their lives.

The prime minister drew applause -- and a few whoops of joy -- when he told
a Liberal fundraising dinner last night to expect legislation soon.

"Don't start to smoke yet," he quickly cautioned the celebrants in the
audience.

"We're not legalizing it, we're decriminalizing."

The distinction is important.

The Criminal Code amendments, expected to be introduced in the Commons
within the next two months, will make possession of small amounts of pot a
minor offence that would be treated something like a traffic violation.

"So you will have another ticket," said Chretien. "For losing your senses --
or something like that."

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon has repeatedly promised decriminalization.

But he has put off action for months, leading some to wonder whether the
government was serious.

Chretien's declaration, in the unlikely setting of a $500-a-plate dinner for
well-heeled party donors, left no room for doubt.

A series of court cases in recent months has helped to force Ottawa's hand,
as judges in several provinces threw out federal laws against simple
possession and prosecutors put more and more cases on hold.

The Supreme Court of Canada, for its part, put off a hearing last December
on a constitutional challenge to the pot law that would finally have
clarified the judicial record.

The judges decided there was no point in dealing with the issue since
Cauchon was publicly promising to change the law.

The hearing was eventually rescheduled for the current court term, but some
legal observers believe it may be put off again.

The decriminalization debate in Canada has echoed south of the border, where
U.S. officials have warned Washington would not look with favour on lenient
drug laws for its next-door neighbours.