MP SAYS DON'T MAKE A CHANGE

A recommendation by a House of Commons committee that possession of up
to 30 grams of marijuana land the owner a small fine and not a
criminal record, is being opposed by Kelowna MP Werner Schmidt.

But Schmidt, the chairman of the Canadian Alliance caucus, said while
he personally opposes the decriminalization of any amount of
marijuana, he will support his party's view that possession of up to
five grams be dealt with by a fine and not a criminal record.

"Personally, I feel to relax the punishment is really the beginning of
getting onto a very slippery slope," said Schmidt. He described the
issue as one that clearly has divided Canadians .

On Wednesday, a special parliamentary committee on the non-medicinal
use of drugs released a report recommending possession of small
amounts of marijuana no longer be included in the Criminal Code.

Unlike a similar report issued earlier this year by a special Senate
committee, the MPs did not call for the legalization of marijuana.

It also did not call for an amnesty for people with previous
possession records or leniency for anyone caught with hashish or other
cannabis-related products.

The committee's recommendations are expected to meet with the approval
of Justice Minister Martin Cauchon. Cauchon said earlier this week
legislation to decriminalize pot use could be brought in early next
year.

"I think the words fell out of his mouth in a (media) scrum," said
Schmidt. "It has not been dealt with by (the Liberal) caucus or the
cabinet."

Kelowna Senator Ross Fitzpatrick, who did not sit on the Senate
committee that called for the legalization of marijuana, had no
comment about the committee recommendations.