Lit_Match

Students told Green party would legalize marijuana
10-07-08|Peterborough Examiner|By ANDREA HOUSTON

The legalization of marijuana, funding for education and the arts were among the issues raised by Fleming College students at an all-candidates debate yesterday.

The debate, hosted by the Student Administrative Council at the college, welcomed Peterborough riding candidates Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro, Liberal Betsy McGregor, New Democrat Steve Sharpe and the Green party's Emily Berrigan.

The candidates answered a couple of education questions from moderator and SAC director Andy Glynn before fielding questions from some of the 150 students.

Sharpe pledged his party would establish a $1,000 grant for students who qualify for loans.

"If you are doing a three-year program, there's an extra $3,000 to reduce your overall tuition," Sharpe said. "So right from the get-go we are trying to make sure (education) is cheaper."

Del Mastro said more funding needs to be opened up to students through tax credits.

McGregor promised a $1,000 grant to assist students with housing, food and books.

"We need to increase access grants to not only cover tuition, but to cover a large percentage of the total education costs," Berrigan said, "to cover the cost of rent, books, child care and food."

Travel and tourism student Geoff Logan, 20, asked Del Mastro what his position is on cuts to arts and culture funding.

"We've actually got a tremendous record on support for the arts," Del Mastro said. "We have dramatically increased funding for the arts by more than eight per cent, more than $200 million than the previous government, and we have almost doubled funding for the Canada Council."

McGregor was quick to ask Glynn for a rebuttal to dispute Del Mastro's claims.

"The eight per cent that is referred to by the current member is eight per cent to Heritage Canada," McGregor said. "If you drill down below there you will find there is a serious $42-million cut to the arts.

"It is an absolute outrage," she said. "We depend on the (artistic) community. In fact 7.5 per cent of the GDP of our nation depends on arts and culture."

Berrigan said the arts are not just a frill. They bring communities to life, attract tourists and help communities compete economically around the world, she said.

"I am not arguing with Dean about whether or not they increased funding," Sharpe said. "It was a reallocation of funds. He knows that."

Knowing the Green party is in favour of legalizing marijuana, 20- year-old nursing student Katie Bradley asked Berrigan how her position will affect the use of harder drugs in Peterborough.

"By legalizing marijuana I am not exactly supporting it," Berrigan said. "If you are addicted to marijuana or any drug, you should not be thrown in jail for it. There are deeper issues behind that."

Del Mastro disagreed. The federal government has to address the root cause of why people turn to drugs in the first place, not legalize marijuana, he said.

"When I talk about going after the drug problem, I am not talking about people who are addicted to them," he said, "but the people who are peddling this stuff. We have to stop treating them with kid gloves."

While she supports the medical use of marijuana, McGregor said anything beyond that is open for discussion.

Sharpe said marijuana provides a lucrative income for biker gangs and other organized crime.

NOTES:Toward the end of the debate Emily Berrigan said "it looks like Dean (Del Mastro)is going to win and it kills me to say that." .... All the candidates were sipping water from red stainless steel Fleming College water bottles given to them from the Fleming Applied Agency, the college's integrated marketing communications agency. The bottles are given out free of charge to anyone, SAC director Andy Glynn said.... All the local candidates urged Fleming College students to vote on Oct. 14, regardless of political affiliation.

__________________
Donation links to NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) | MPP (Marijuana Policy Project)