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The leader of the Marijuana Party of Canada said after a court appearance Thursday he plans to contest the constitutionality of the country's pot laws.
Marc Boris St-Maurice, a candidate in Prime Minister Paul Martin's riding of LaSalle-Emard, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of simple possession of three grams of marijuana.
He said it was coincidence his court appearance took place during the federal election and cited a report this week by the Fraser Institute saying legalization of marijuana would help generate revenues for the government.
St-Maurice, 35, maintains the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act is unconstitutional because the ban on possession of marijuana was struck down by the Ontario Court of Appeal. He said the court ruled it violated the rights of people who needed pot for medical reasons.
"Whether you're carrying marijuana because you think it looks pretty or because you found it or because perhaps you like to rub it on your hair at night because it smells nice -- none of that is relevant," he said. "Whether it's for medical use or other use, none of that is relevant. The law is bad and so the offence must be taken out."
The appeal court gave the federal government one year to amend the law, but Parliament has still not acted.
St-Maurice said this means the current law is unconstitutional and he wants to prove the law is unworkable. He added that any system that is unworkable is unacceptable because it is putting sick people at risk.
He noted that Conservative Senator Pierre Claude Nolin headed up a parliamentary commission that favoured of the legalization of marijuana.
St-Maurice was arrested three months ago at the headquarters of the provincial branch of the party, the Bloc Pot. He is scheduled to return to court July 7.
Source: CTV.ca
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Published: June 10
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Website: https://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleN...93514768_82302714?s_name=election2004&no_ads=
Marc Boris St-Maurice, a candidate in Prime Minister Paul Martin's riding of LaSalle-Emard, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of simple possession of three grams of marijuana.
He said it was coincidence his court appearance took place during the federal election and cited a report this week by the Fraser Institute saying legalization of marijuana would help generate revenues for the government.
St-Maurice, 35, maintains the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act is unconstitutional because the ban on possession of marijuana was struck down by the Ontario Court of Appeal. He said the court ruled it violated the rights of people who needed pot for medical reasons.
"Whether you're carrying marijuana because you think it looks pretty or because you found it or because perhaps you like to rub it on your hair at night because it smells nice -- none of that is relevant," he said. "Whether it's for medical use or other use, none of that is relevant. The law is bad and so the offence must be taken out."
The appeal court gave the federal government one year to amend the law, but Parliament has still not acted.
St-Maurice said this means the current law is unconstitutional and he wants to prove the law is unworkable. He added that any system that is unworkable is unacceptable because it is putting sick people at risk.
He noted that Conservative Senator Pierre Claude Nolin headed up a parliamentary commission that favoured of the legalization of marijuana.
St-Maurice was arrested three months ago at the headquarters of the provincial branch of the party, the Bloc Pot. He is scheduled to return to court July 7.
Source: CTV.ca
Author:
Published: June 10
Copyright:
Contact:
Website: https://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleN...93514768_82302714?s_name=election2004&no_ads=
