QUEBEC'S HAPPY STONERS

Pot smokers and those thinking it's high time to get real about marijuana
laws were surprised this week by federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon's
statements about decriminalizing the weed. Cauchon said it is important for
law enforcement across the country to have one coherent policy, rather than
a patchwork of different ways from province to province.

So which province is best and worst for potheads? According to the most
vocal pot advocates in the country, the federal Marijuana Party, the best
place to smoke is right here.

"Having travelled up and down this country, I'd say Quebec is the best, and
that's shown from having the lowest arrest rates per capita in the
country," says Marc-Boris St-Maurice, head of the Marijuana Party. "B.C. is
second. And the rest of the provinces all pretty much suck."

When pressed, he admits Ontario probably rates third-although he says it is
still "really bad." And Atlantic Canada and the Prairies are the worst.
St-Maurice thinks rural parts of the country-including Quebec-are more
inclined to bust pot users and send them to the courts out of boredom and
small-town attitudes on the parts of the police and judges.

The Marijuana Party has gone on record opposing decriminalization, because
they feel it will be easier for cops to ticket casual users rather than
either ignoring them or letting them off with a warning.