LOCAL ALLIANCE MEMBERS WANT DEBATE ON DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA

If the Kenora-Rainy River constituency of the Canadian Alliance was in
charge, marijuana would be a lot closer to becoming legal and special
interest groups would have to find money on their own.

Regional Alliance members met in Kenora on Saturday to choose policy and
constitution amendments and resolutions they would like to see debated at a
national Alliance conference in Edmonton in April.

The group voted 6 to 5 in favour of having the decriminalization of
marijuana policy as one that should be discussed at the conference.

"That'll probably lose us half our voters," joked Brian Williams, president
of the constituency.

According to the proposed policy, pot should be treated as a controlled
substance similar to alcohol and should be distributed through the same
facilities (liquor control boards).

This would "free up the courts, free up a lot of police time, create tax
revenue, ensure the purity of the product (again similar to ensuring
alcohol will not cause blindness, while not in anyway advocating its use),
break the link to organized crime (people will not have to associate with
criminals to acquire marijuana), suck the life blood out of biker gangs,
and since public places are going smoke free, we should not have to deal
with the concept of allowing pot smoking in bars."

The group also wants to see a special interest groups policy discussed at
the conference.

"They're basically paid to lobby for money," said Williams. "We think
interest groups should fund themselves."

As for the upcoming Canadian Alliance leadership race, Williams is hoping
for Steven Harper, but said that could change if other candidates are declared.

What won't change, though, are his thoughts on past party leader Stockwell Day.

"I voted for Stockwell Day last time. (Since then) I think he damaged his
own credibility. He seemed to be contradicting himself. The party had a big
split while he has leader. I wouldn't say it was all his fault, but he was
leader at the time. I don't think we would gain much if we re-elected him."

If you are an Alliance supporter, it isn't likely you will be able to see
any of the candidates in our area, according to Williams.

"I haven't heard of anyone planning to come to this area yet," Williams
said. "They'll hit the major centres and send the rest of us literature.
It's up to the candidates to get their message out."