Canadians 'ashamed' of PM?
Sheldon Alberts and Janice Tibbetts
CanWest News Service
Friday, October 10, 2003
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WASHINGTON - The White House's drug czar lashed out Thursday at Jean Chretien for relaxing marijuana laws and said Canadians are "ashamed" over the prime minister's recent jokes about smoking pot when he retires.
John Walters, director of the National Drug Control Policy Office, said Chretien was being irresponsible when he said last week that he might try marijuana when he leaves office next February.
Canadians "are concerned about the behaviour of their prime minister, joking that he is going to use marijuana in his retirement," Walters said to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
"They're ashamed."
Canada is "the one place in the hemisphere where things are going the wrong (way) rapidly," Walters added. "It's the only country in this hemisphere that's become a major drug producer instead of reducing their drug production."
Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, who is shepherding the federal government's marijuana legislation through the House of Commons, responded that Walters should "look in his own backyard" before criticizing Chretien.
"There are over 10 states that have in place what we call alternative penalties, so you know, if it is not correct to move in that direction, maybe he should spend some time talking to his own states," Cauchon said.
Walters' criticisms of Chretien came after an effort by the prime minister to make light of his government's controversial decriminalization legislation.
In an interview with the Winnipeg Free Press, Chretien said he had never tested marijuana, but might once decriminalization legislation is approved by Parliament.
"I don't know what is marijuana. Perhaps I will try it when it will no longer be criminal," he said. "I will have money for my fine and a joint in the other hand."
Jim Munson, Chretien's director of communications, declined to comment on Walters' claim that Canadians are ashamed of their leader.
"I am not going to get into those kind of comments. I mean, they have their point of view and we have our point of view," Munson said.
The prime minister, while joking about his own lack of personal experience with marijuana, also spoke about the need to crack down on growers and dealers of pot, Munson said.
The Chretien government is fast-tracking its legislation through the House of Commons in a bid to ensure it receives final passage through Parliament by the end of the fall session.
Prime minister-in-waiting Paul Martin has been lukewarm to decriminalization and it is expected the bill would be reviewed if it doesn't pass before Chretien leaves office early next year.
The bill was handed Thursday to a special parliamentary committee, instead of the busy Commons justice committee, which wouldn't be able to hold public hearings on the controversial legislation until after Christmas.
The marijuana bill proposes to decriminalize possession of 15 grams or less, so that people would be fined from $100 to $400 instead of receiving criminal records. But it also seeks to strengthen penalties against marijuana grow operations.
The federal government, which is under intense pressure to toughen its bill, is seriously considering several amendments. They are:
- Lowering the amount of pot that would escape criminal charges to 10 grams from the current proposal of 15.
- Imposing criminal sanctions instead of fines on people who are repeatedly caught with pot.
- Adding a minimum mandatory sentence for people convicted of running marijuana grow operations. The current bill proposes doubling the maximum penalties, but critics say this is useless because judges seldom impose the top sentence.
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nothing like a little canada vs. usa to get the juices flowing.
US Drug Czar: Canadians "ashamed" of PM
US Drug Czar: Canadians "ashamed" of PM
<p align="center">[glow=black]Beggars stare at the brand new sneakers on the[/glow]
[glow=white]Anarchists[/glow] [glow=black]and_[/glow][glow=white]celebrity speakers[/glow]
[glow=black]These are improbable days my friends[/glow]</p>
[glow=white]Anarchists[/glow] [glow=black]and_[/glow][glow=white]celebrity speakers[/glow]
[glow=black]These are improbable days my friends[/glow]</p>
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happening fish
- Posts: 17934
- Joined: 3/17/2002, 11:22 am
Oh god, I just love it 
We're "the one place in the hemisphere where things are going the wrong (way) rapidly"? Hahahaa I just LOVE it. Canada gets a bit more relaxed about a harmless chill-out drug and those crazy puritanical war hawks just absolutely lose it. Just shut up and go back to peddling war and death, boys, cause that's obviously a lot more towards the "right way"
We're "the one place in the hemisphere where things are going the wrong (way) rapidly"? Hahahaa I just LOVE it. Canada gets a bit more relaxed about a harmless chill-out drug and those crazy puritanical war hawks just absolutely lose it. Just shut up and go back to peddling war and death, boys, cause that's obviously a lot more towards the "right way" awkward is the new cool
[url]gutterhome.blogspot.com[/url]
[url]gutterhome.blogspot.com[/url]
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Sufjan Stevens
- Posts: 6738
- Joined: 3/17/2002, 12:25 pm
- Location: Detroit, MI
Fuck, I think it's funny. In my lifetime, the best president I think America's had was Bill Clinton, a guy that smoked pot and liked sex, and didn't lie about it. And in my lifetime, the worst president we've had is GWjr, a guy who lied about doing coke and kills innocent people. Rock on.
In other words, it's just pot people.
In other words, it's just pot people.
I faced death. I went in with my arms swinging. But I heard my own breath and had to face that I'm still living. I'm still flesh. I hold on to awful feelings. I'm not dead... My chest still draws breath. I hold it. I'm buoyant. There's no end.
Rufus Wainwright wrote:In my lifetime, the best president I think America's had was Bill Clinton, a guy that smoked pot and liked sex, and didn't lie about it.
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
"I smoked marijuana, but didn't inhale."
- -
Every now and then I fall out into open air just to feel the wind, rain and everything.
And though the hum and sway gets me down, I'll find the way to peace and openness.
"Robbo" - © Alex (happeningfish)...^5 ^5 v v
Every now and then I fall out into open air just to feel the wind, rain and everything.
And though the hum and sway gets me down, I'll find the way to peace and openness.
"Robbo" - © Alex (happeningfish)...^5 ^5 v v
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Sufjan Stevens
- Posts: 6738
- Joined: 3/17/2002, 12:25 pm
- Location: Detroit, MI
I was too young to enjoy the entire Reagen experience, mainly because I was was only 4 when he got out of office. Yeah, I don't remember him much.
I still like Clinton more than either of the Bush's. That's all I have to say about that.
I faced death. I went in with my arms swinging. But I heard my own breath and had to face that I'm still living. I'm still flesh. I hold on to awful feelings. I'm not dead... My chest still draws breath. I hold it. I'm buoyant. There's no end.
clinton rules! He was a pretty damn cool prez. As for Jean smoking pot i don't really care, now if he was doing it and getting completely fucked when running our country i would be mad, but fuck it's his life, let him do what he wants after retiring.
one question though, as far as i know, Canada IS NOT legalizing POT! All the conservitives were crapping themselves, esspecially american's ( i'm not trying to star a fight but it's true) Because they thought we were going to make it legal and start selling it in stores. But as far as i know, we're NOT. We're just decriminalizing it meaning people caught with pot under a certain amount considered for personal use, will not get a permanent record and possible jail time. They would just get a fine. Mainly because is it really fair for a 40 year old man to not be able to take his wife and kids to florida because he got caught witha blunt when he was 19? Not to mention currently lots of cops arn't giving tickets because they don't want to screw up a kids life, they're just giving warnings. If it's set as a fine, more people are going to be punished
PPS the same group of people that think dope users should be STRONGLY prosecuted, and given a permanent record are the people who also back a president that got a DUI, had drinking problems, and may have used Cocaine. So the 40 year old can't go to florida, but Georgie can be the president of teh most powerful country in the world?
one question though, as far as i know, Canada IS NOT legalizing POT! All the conservitives were crapping themselves, esspecially american's ( i'm not trying to star a fight but it's true) Because they thought we were going to make it legal and start selling it in stores. But as far as i know, we're NOT. We're just decriminalizing it meaning people caught with pot under a certain amount considered for personal use, will not get a permanent record and possible jail time. They would just get a fine. Mainly because is it really fair for a 40 year old man to not be able to take his wife and kids to florida because he got caught witha blunt when he was 19? Not to mention currently lots of cops arn't giving tickets because they don't want to screw up a kids life, they're just giving warnings. If it's set as a fine, more people are going to be punished
PPS the same group of people that think dope users should be STRONGLY prosecuted, and given a permanent record are the people who also back a president that got a DUI, had drinking problems, and may have used Cocaine. So the 40 year old can't go to florida, but Georgie can be the president of teh most powerful country in the world?
"How can we justify spending so much on destruction and so little on life?" Matthew Good
"The white dove is gone, the one world has come down hard, so why not share the pain of our problems, when all around are wrong ways, when all around is hurt, i'll roll up in an odd shape and wait, untill the tide has turned.....with anger, i'm dead weight, i'm anchored"- IME, God Rocket (Into the Heart of Las Vegas) ^ Some say this song is about a terrorists thoughts before 911
"Pray for the sheep" Matt Good
"But it's alright, take the world and make it yours again" Matt Good
I felt it in the wind, and i saw it in the sky, i thought it was the end, i thought it was the 4th of July.
"Hold on, hold on children, your mother and father are leaving, hold on, hold on children your best freind's parents are leaving, leaving,.......*AHHH*! " - Death From Above - Black History Month
"The white dove is gone, the one world has come down hard, so why not share the pain of our problems, when all around are wrong ways, when all around is hurt, i'll roll up in an odd shape and wait, untill the tide has turned.....with anger, i'm dead weight, i'm anchored"- IME, God Rocket (Into the Heart of Las Vegas) ^ Some say this song is about a terrorists thoughts before 911
"Pray for the sheep" Matt Good
"But it's alright, take the world and make it yours again" Matt Good
I felt it in the wind, and i saw it in the sky, i thought it was the end, i thought it was the 4th of July.
"Hold on, hold on children, your mother and father are leaving, hold on, hold on children your best freind's parents are leaving, leaving,.......*AHHH*! " - Death From Above - Black History Month
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starvingeyes
- Posts: 2009
- Joined: 5/8/2002, 3:44 pm
- Location: california's not very far
clinton, ugh, was a mass murderer whose acts of war and terrorism abroad greatly exceed the admittedly still young bush administrations.
he invaded or attacked <i>eight different nations</i>. his us-led nato bombing of kosovo killed tens of thousands of innocent people, not to mention his campaigns against iraq.
i cannot understand how people who condemn bush for his actions in iraq and afghanistan can praise bill clinton.
he invaded or attacked <i>eight different nations</i>. his us-led nato bombing of kosovo killed tens of thousands of innocent people, not to mention his campaigns against iraq.
i cannot understand how people who condemn bush for his actions in iraq and afghanistan can praise bill clinton.
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Random Name
- Posts: 10134
- Joined: 8/16/2003, 2:57 pm
- Location: New Finland
I have been researching human rights violations in USA for a school paper, and everything I have found has been with the Bush Administratition. Don't get me wrong, Clinton was (obviously) not an angel, but Bush has done things with the war on Iraq that has had some serious fucking impact on places. There are prision detanees that haven't been allowed legal council in over a year and are being kept without a charge. That just isnt right. Being concerned that the PM of canada may smoke a joint in a years time doesn't seem like that big of a deal in comparison.
-Sarah
Goodbye you liar,
Well you sipped from the cup but you don't own up to anything
Then you think you will inspire
Take apart your head
(and I wish I could inspire)
Take apart your demons, then you add it to the list.
Goodbye you liar,
Well you sipped from the cup but you don't own up to anything
Then you think you will inspire
Take apart your head
(and I wish I could inspire)
Take apart your demons, then you add it to the list.
