2006
http://forums.cannabisculture.com/forums/index.php?/topic/133924-praise-flak-for-ndp-pot-resolution/
No fines mentioned back then either.
REGINA -- The provincial NDP's endorsement of a resolution backing decriminalization of marijuana laws at last weekend's party convention in Saskatoon drew both praise and scorn on Monday.
But NDP Justice Minister Frank Quennell says the resolution will have no effect on actions by the provincial government.
The resolution, which was supported by party members, calls for the provincial NDP to support the federal party's call for a "non-punitive approach to cannabis law, including all penalties for personal cultivation and possession by adults, and actively work to institute non-punitive cannabis policies at the provincial level." Quennell said he's not sure what the resolution means, since drug laws and drug prosecutions are both federal responsibilities.
"Police offi cers, prosecutors, judges, whether they're Crown prosecutors appointed by the province or judges appointed by the province, they're sworn to uphold the laws of Canada, whatever they might be. Saskatchewan can't change a federal law by subversion, if that's what's intended here.
That we wouldn't enforce federal law, then I'm against that," he said in an interview on the weekend.
"I believe the people who are in a position to administer the law should administer the law. If you don't like the law, you either as a legislator vote to change it or as a citizen you vote for a party that undertakes to change the law." Benn Greer, the president of eNDProhibition Saskatchewan, the provincial branch of the "unof- fi cial anti-prohibition wing" of the party, said in an interview he agrees with Quennell about the need to enforce laws as they exist.
But he helped push forward the resolution because he believes the provincial party can help advocate to the federal Conservative government to decriminalize marijuana.
"It's a first step in a long process, I think," said Greer, a former ministerial assistant to Premier Lorne Calvert who is now a personal chef in Regina.
"It isn't a good thing for everyone to smoke (marijuana). But . . . punishing both chronic and casual users with criminal sanctions and ruining the chances of getting a job, travelling abroad, things like that, is just wrong." Quennell said decriminalization is clearly not on the Conservative radar in any case. He said the provincial government has acknowledged in the past there are issues around the punishment for marijuana possession.
"There's a lot of details about where you draw lines. There's no question that I think most Canadians, if they realized what the maximum sentence was for simple possession, would like to see some change," he said.
NDP provincial secretary Doug Still said he didn't think it was likely the party would take much of an advocacy role on marijuana decriminalization.
The Saskatchewan Marijuana Party, which was registered as a provincial party seven months ago, issued a news release Monday praising the NDP for the resolution and said it would work with the party "to turn this resolution into reality."
Liberal Leader David Karwacki also weighed in the issue, criticizing the NDP for allowing eNDProhibition to run an advertisement on the back of its convention program. While the former federal Liberal government had planned on decriminalizing marijuana, Karwacki said the NDP appears to be advocating legalization and the use of marijuana.
Among others, the ad quotes federal leader Jack Layton as saying the party favours a "legal environment where people can enjoy marijuana in the peace and quiet of their own home, or in a cafe, without the fear of being criminalized." "I don't think it's appropriate," said Karwacki.
But Still said the organization has the right to advocate to change laws and the provincial party does not believe in censorship.
