JUSTICE MINISTER SAYS POT WON'T BE LEGALIZED

LONDON, Ont. -- The federal justice minister addressed corporate
accountability and slammed the door on legalizing marijuana during a
wide-ranging address to the Canadian Bar Association annual meeting yesterday.

"Canada has no plans to legalize marijuana," Martin Cauchon said during his
address in this southwestern Ontario city. "I believe endorsing marijuana
use might inflict harm on society and lead to greater problems."

But Cauchon said the country's drug laws deserve a closer look, and he
didn't rule out decriminalizing marijuana.

"I believe it's time for an open discussion about modernizing the criminal
justice system in this regard."