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Vancouver Sun(13 Feb 2004)

Critics Say People Ticketed for Marijuana Possession Shouldn't Be Targeted

OTTAWA -- Canadians who are caught with small amounts of marijuana need not worry about police sharing the information with the U.S. or other foreign governments or agencies, under proposed legislation to outlaw the practice.

The prohibition was added to the bill to decriminalize marijuana when it was revived Thursday after dying when Parliament adjourned in November.

"It's a significant amendment for sure," acknowledged justice department spokesman Patrick Charette.

The head of the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers described the crackdown as a "bold statement" considering police forces have been sharing more information internationally since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S.

"If this information was shared, it defeats the purpose of giving people a chance," said Bill Trudell.

The changes were made at the recommendation of a special Parliamentary committee that held public hearings on the bill last fall.

Witnesses said more Canadians probably would be flagged by American authorities as a result of the federal government changing its laws to make possession of 15 grams of marijuana or less a ticketing offence. The bill proposes fines of $100 to $400.

The thinking behind the amendment was that police would be more inclined to ticket under the new scheme than they would have been to lay criminal charges. That would mean more people could conceivably end up in a police database that could be accessed internationally.

"One of the potential consequences is that it stigmatizes young Canadians in that it impedes their movement across the border," said Toronto lawyer Paul Burstein.

Police oppose the Liberal government's marijuana bill and Sophie Roux, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Provincial Police Association, said the amendment "is not buying them any points with us."

The change comes at a time when Prime Minister Paul Martin says he is trying to rebuild Canada's relationship with the U.S., which has been irritated, in part, by the marijuana decriminalization plan.

Although Martin has suggested the marijuana bill also could be changed to decrease the amount of pot possession that would be decriminalized, the reinstated bill did not lower that bar.

But further amendments are expected as the bill winds its way through the Parliamentary system in the coming weeks. Federal officials say the timetable will be tight for the bill to pass before a federal election, expected this spring.

The reinstated bill was also amended to decriminalize cultivating marijuana if it's less than four plants -- making it an offence punishable with a ticket rather than a criminal record.

The former bill proposed to keep growing pot as a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine, compared to the proposed sanction of a $500 fine for adults and a $250 fine for youths.

But the most significant amendment is the plan to make it an offence "to knowingly disclose to a foreign government or international organization" any marijuana offences contained in the Contraventions Act.

Both possession and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana will be moved from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to the federal Contraventions Act, which governs such things as driving on federal wharves and abandoning vessels in a public harbour.

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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake
Pubdate: Fri, 13 Feb 2004
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 The Vancouver Sun
Contact: sunletters@png.canwest.com
Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Janice Tibbetts, CanWest News Service
Note: The bill is on line at
http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/3/parlbus/c...1/90229bE.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

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8 1/2

The blocking of info to foreign countries is definitely new and important but I was more surprised to see this:

"The reinstated bill was also amended to decriminalize cultivating marijuana if it's less than four plants -- making it an offence punishable with a ticket rather than a criminal record.

The former bill proposed to keep growing pot as a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine, compared to the proposed sanction of a $500 fine for adults and a $250 fine for youths."


Now that phucking cool...let's just hope that this stays intact and passes soon and/or before the election.

KWhite

...For every action....

There is an equal and opposite reaction....

Good to see this being thought about.

GrooveGuardian

Wanting to kiss U.S. ass does not impress me one bit.

Larmer

I still don't understand how this is going to work...

It's impossible to reconcile the 15g limit and the 4 plant limit; it's either one or the other. Anyone who's ever grown knows that 4 plants will yield you a tad more than 15g, provided you have a few neurons firing in the right order.

Regardless, a good step in my opinion. Not quite legalization, but you have to start somewhere...

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