CdnBud
Well-Known Member
Jan.15,2012
Liberals endorse legalized pot
OTTAWA — Federal Liberals are taking some risky departures from the cautious political norm in a bid to put their once-mighty party back on the electoral map.
They overwhelmingly approved Sunday a resolution calling for the legalization and regulation of marijuana — a position immediately endorsed in principle by interim leader Bob Rae.
“Let’s face up to it, Canada, the war on drugs has been a complete bust,” Rae declared in a closing speech to the three-day Liberal renewal convention.
Until now, Liberals have called only for decriminalization of marijuana, as has the NDP. The new call to legalize it completely and regulate its production and sale, much as is done with alcohol, is in stark contrast to the governing Conservatives, who’ve included stiffer penalties for marijuana possession in their omnibus tough-on-crime bill.
Approval of the marijuana resolution came on the heels of another potentially risky departure for the Liberals. After a heated debate late Saturday, delegates agreed to invite all liberal-minded Canadians to take part in choosing the party’s next leader.
Wrapping up the convention, Rae heralded the two moves as a sign the chastened Liberal party is reaching out and renewing itself after last May’s humiliating rout, when the party was reduced to a third-party rump with only 34 seats.
“We Liberals have clearly and emphatically said to the people of Canada: ‘We embrace change and we embrace all Canadians as we rebuild this great national party.’ ”
Delegates further embraced change by choosing Mike Crawley as their new party president. He beat out Sheila Copps, a veteran former cabinet minister whom some Liberals felt symbolized the past, by a slim 26 votes.
Rae maintained the convention underscores the difference between the Liberals and the more ideologically-driven Tories and NDP, whom he described as dogmatic adherents to rigid “orthodoxies.”
“If you want to be part of a group of free-thinking, innovative, thoughtful, pragmatic, hopeful, positive, happy people, come and join the Liberal party,” he exhorted, adding with a chuckle, “And after the resolution on marijuana today, it’s going to be a group of even happier people in the Liberal party.”
Rae told delegates it makes no sense “to send another generation of young people into prison” for marijuana offences when “the most addictive substances that are facing Canada today are alcohol and cigarettes.”
While they were willing to take some risks, delegates balked at a resolution calling on Canada to consider cutting its ties to the monarchy, an idea that would open a constitutional can of worms.
Both the marijuana and monarchy resolutions were put forward by the party’s youth wing, which argued that the Liberal party needs to advance bold ideas that are more reflective of young people if it is to revive.
“I think that there’s a certain amount of generational change happening in the party,” said Samuel Lavoie, president of the Liberal youth wing.
“We’re willing to push the envelope and we have the numbers and we have the willpower to flex our muscles when it’s needed.”
Lavoie acknowledged the Tories will doubtless pounce on the marijuana resolution to lambaste the Liberals as soft on drug crimes.
“I personally think we Liberals should stop worrying about what the Conservatives will think about our policy and approach,” he said, noting that diehard Tories will never vote Liberal in any event.
“We’re talking to Canadians. The fact is that this is a sensible policy, evidence-based policy that is very easy to defend ... There is cross-partisan support among non-Conservative voters for this so we feel this is something that will get us votes.”
The marijuana resolution is not binding on the leader or the party. And delegates specifically rejected a proposal to remove the leader’s veto over the contents of future election platforms, so there’s no guarantee the party will ever actually campaign on the idea of legalizing pot.
Still, with an overwhelming 77 per cent of delegates voting for it, Lavoie predicted: “I think it is really difficult for anyone to just ignore the result and the will of the membership.”
Delegates balked, however, at adopting a U.S.-style primary system to elect future leaders. They rejected a proposal to introduce a system of staggered regional leadership votes.
They did support reforming the country’s electoral system, voting to adopt preferential balloting in federal elections, rather than the current first-past-the-post system. Preferential ballots would ensure that only candidates who receive more than 50 per cent of the vote in their ridings would be elected to the House of Commons.
The Canadian Press
Liberals endorse legalized pot
OTTAWA — Federal Liberals are taking some risky departures from the cautious political norm in a bid to put their once-mighty party back on the electoral map.
They overwhelmingly approved Sunday a resolution calling for the legalization and regulation of marijuana — a position immediately endorsed in principle by interim leader Bob Rae.
“Let’s face up to it, Canada, the war on drugs has been a complete bust,” Rae declared in a closing speech to the three-day Liberal renewal convention.
Until now, Liberals have called only for decriminalization of marijuana, as has the NDP. The new call to legalize it completely and regulate its production and sale, much as is done with alcohol, is in stark contrast to the governing Conservatives, who’ve included stiffer penalties for marijuana possession in their omnibus tough-on-crime bill.
Approval of the marijuana resolution came on the heels of another potentially risky departure for the Liberals. After a heated debate late Saturday, delegates agreed to invite all liberal-minded Canadians to take part in choosing the party’s next leader.
Wrapping up the convention, Rae heralded the two moves as a sign the chastened Liberal party is reaching out and renewing itself after last May’s humiliating rout, when the party was reduced to a third-party rump with only 34 seats.
“We Liberals have clearly and emphatically said to the people of Canada: ‘We embrace change and we embrace all Canadians as we rebuild this great national party.’ ”
Delegates further embraced change by choosing Mike Crawley as their new party president. He beat out Sheila Copps, a veteran former cabinet minister whom some Liberals felt symbolized the past, by a slim 26 votes.
Rae maintained the convention underscores the difference between the Liberals and the more ideologically-driven Tories and NDP, whom he described as dogmatic adherents to rigid “orthodoxies.”
“If you want to be part of a group of free-thinking, innovative, thoughtful, pragmatic, hopeful, positive, happy people, come and join the Liberal party,” he exhorted, adding with a chuckle, “And after the resolution on marijuana today, it’s going to be a group of even happier people in the Liberal party.”
Rae told delegates it makes no sense “to send another generation of young people into prison” for marijuana offences when “the most addictive substances that are facing Canada today are alcohol and cigarettes.”
While they were willing to take some risks, delegates balked at a resolution calling on Canada to consider cutting its ties to the monarchy, an idea that would open a constitutional can of worms.
Both the marijuana and monarchy resolutions were put forward by the party’s youth wing, which argued that the Liberal party needs to advance bold ideas that are more reflective of young people if it is to revive.
“I think that there’s a certain amount of generational change happening in the party,” said Samuel Lavoie, president of the Liberal youth wing.
“We’re willing to push the envelope and we have the numbers and we have the willpower to flex our muscles when it’s needed.”
Lavoie acknowledged the Tories will doubtless pounce on the marijuana resolution to lambaste the Liberals as soft on drug crimes.
“I personally think we Liberals should stop worrying about what the Conservatives will think about our policy and approach,” he said, noting that diehard Tories will never vote Liberal in any event.
“We’re talking to Canadians. The fact is that this is a sensible policy, evidence-based policy that is very easy to defend ... There is cross-partisan support among non-Conservative voters for this so we feel this is something that will get us votes.”
The marijuana resolution is not binding on the leader or the party. And delegates specifically rejected a proposal to remove the leader’s veto over the contents of future election platforms, so there’s no guarantee the party will ever actually campaign on the idea of legalizing pot.
Still, with an overwhelming 77 per cent of delegates voting for it, Lavoie predicted: “I think it is really difficult for anyone to just ignore the result and the will of the membership.”
Delegates balked, however, at adopting a U.S.-style primary system to elect future leaders. They rejected a proposal to introduce a system of staggered regional leadership votes.
They did support reforming the country’s electoral system, voting to adopt preferential balloting in federal elections, rather than the current first-past-the-post system. Preferential ballots would ensure that only candidates who receive more than 50 per cent of the vote in their ridings would be elected to the House of Commons.
The Canadian Press
