Page 6 · Richmond Review
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
opinion the richmond
REVIEW
B.C. marijuana referendum misguided
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B.C. Views Tom Fletcher
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won’t be signing the “Sensible B.C.” petition to demand a provincewide referendum on marijuana enforcement. You shouldn’t either, and here are a few reasons why. Let me start by saying I’ve been calling for legalization and regulation of pot for 20 years, to conserve police resources and reduce violent crime. Our war on drugs is a failure even for heroin and cocaine, and marijuana is obviously much easier to produce.
But the current effort led by Dana Larsen, B.C.’s clown prince of pot, is not only misguided, it’s dangerous. The petition does not propose legalization. It seeks to impose a provincial law that would stop B.C. police from using any resources for simple possession charges. This would create a loophole in the federal drug law. So what would that do? It would protect otherwise innocent customers of the current illegal marijuana trade, while leaving the criminal distribution business in place. For a closer look at that, I recommend reports from the Surrey Six murder trial now underway, or the upcoming case against three accused assassins of Red Scorpion gangster Jonathan Bacon in Kelowna. Larsen’s loony law would tie police hands when they are trying to hold someone on a lesser charge while they search for evidence of
something nastier. This is a source of many simple possession charges today. Police chiefs have a different idea, asking for the option of treating simple possession as a ticket offence to keep the court time to a minimum. Both of these notions have the same obvious flaws. They don’t deal with sales to minors and they divert no revenue to government, leaving most of that in the hands of criminal dealers who buy cocaine, guns and fancy cars. Colorado and Washington have gone the legalization route, so far without interference from their federal government. These states need money, and they don’t need more crime or ill-considered hippy gesture politics. Meanwhile in Ottawa, Health Canada is trying to convert a poorly regulated mess of smallscale medical marijuana licences to a free-market system of commercial
producers. Local politicians tore a strip off Health Canada officials at their recent convention, after years of warnings that federal licences were scattered at unknown locations, often used as fronts for larger grow-ops. Mission Coun. Dave Hensman predicted that when a grower gets a letter cancelling his licence, he’s more likely to roll up a big joint with it than to shut down. Burnaby Coun. Nick Volkow suggested the response would echo an old Cheech and Chong routine: “Dave’s not here, man.” Here’s another reason not to support Larsen: the conduct of his organizers. One fellow set up a petition table at, of all places, the Terry Fox Hometown Run in Port Coquitlam. After scrawling “pot cures cancer” on the table, he proceeded to interrupt speeches by cancer survivors and the run itself by yelling the
Rendering of the proposed bridge replacing the Massey Tunnel.
Tearing down the Massey Tunnel is foolish
The Richmond Review is a member of the B.C. Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the council. Write (include documentation) within 45 days to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org Published every Wednesday and Friday by Black Press Ltd.
Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Twitter: @tomfletcherbc
Kudos to Richmond RCMP
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same false slogan. You can imagine how people with terminal cancer and their loved ones would react. Some would know that marijuana may alleviate side effects of chemotherapy, just as it can ease suffering for some multiple sclerosis patients. But the suggestion of a cure is as cruel as it is moronic. Larsen’s “cannibus” has been rolling around B.C., reaping uncritical media coverage. It even blundered into the recent Walk for Reconciliation in Vancouver, an event to mark the end of federal hearings into the effects of residential schools on aboriginal children. I wouldn’t support the Larsen bunch for anything, unless it involved them looking for jobs. Just say no.
Editor: A new bridge and tearing down the existing Massey Tunnel is foolish. More road capacity is not a long-term solution. It merely increases reliance on cars. Better to extend the Canada Line to south of the Fraser, especially since nearly all tunnel traffic is sole-occupancy. And why tear down the tunnel to allow bigger freighters on the Fraser? Will more port capacity, more warehouses, more industrial parks and traffic corridors enhance the livability of the Lower Mainland?
We must reduce port generated traffic in the Lower Mainland, not increase it. With an abundance of coastline why ship coal, grain, oil, containers in transit, etc. through the Lower Mainland? We must do to the Lower Mainland what Vancouver did years ago to False Creek—clear out industry, noise, foul air, traffic. Make it a preserve of quality living! Instead of a $3 billion bridge into a parking lot, carving up more agricultural land, increasing truck traffic and making our community less liveable, we should ex-
plore port capacity along the hundreds of kilometres of coast north of Vancouver. What is particularly distasteful is the strong political odour. This Liberal election tactic (2017?) derails TransLink’s regional planning, will be paid for by tolls on the users and showcases a premier’s excessive, unbridled powers. We should ask the United Nations for international intervention on the grounds B.C.’s premier violates basic democratic principles. Nick Loenen Richmond
Editor: There are some agencies like the fire-rescue and police who usually don’t get the credit they deserve. These men and women put their lives at risk in order to keep our communities safe and peaceful. Take for example, the Richmond RCMP. This federal law enforcement agency consisting of more than 226 well-trained, competent professionals is a credit to Richmond. Richmond RCMP is one of the most culturally diverse forces in the province. Eighty-five of its officers also speak another language in addition to English. As a matter of fact, our local Mounties are well versed in 29 different languages and dialects. These bilingual members assist other units or sections (including IHIT) throughout the Lower Mainland when translators aren’t readily available. This fits well with Richmond as a model of multiculturalism and multilingualism. RCMP’s six guiding principles—integrity, honesty, professionalism, compassion, respect and accountability—reflect very well its dedication to provide the citizens of Richmond with safe homes and a safe community. Recently, management of India Cultural Centre of Canada, home of Gurdwara Nanak Niwas invited the local police administration and some of the frontline officers to a delicious vegetarian lunch. The main purpose of this meet and greet initiative was to thank our officers for the excellent job they have been doing in keeping our community safe. Gurdwara management was joined by some of its neighbours along the Highway to Heaven. On behalf of the Gurdwara management, India Cultural Centre of Canada chairman Asa Joal, president Chain Batth and general secretary Balbir Jawanda welcomed and thanked Supt. Rennie Nesset and his officers. The RCMP officers were issued an open invitation to visit the Sikh Temple any time and interact with the congregation. This writer, as one of the organizers of the event, found it as a privilege to work with Sgt. Cam Kowalski to co-ordinate this get-together. These types of initiatives go a long way in enhancing communication and collaboration between the community and those who are charged to keep it safe. Balwant Sanghera Richmond