Canada's Liberals Endorse Marijuana Legalization

The Canadian Liberal Party Sunday overwhelmingly approved a resolution [9] calling for the legalization of marijuana. The motion at the party's biennial convention [10] in Ottawa passed with 77% of the vote.

The vote pledges that, once elected, a Liberal government "will legalize marijuana and ensure the regulation and taxation of its production, distribution and use, while enacting strict penalties for illegal trafficking, illegal importation and exportation, and impaired driving."

The vote does not bind the party leadership to make legalization part of the party platform, but is intended to give direction on policy positions the membership wants the party to take. The party's Young Liberals [11], who sponsored the legalization resolution, are pushing to make it part of the platform in 2015.

The convention also saw the party elect a new leader, former head of the party's Ontario wing Mike Crawley, as it attempts to re-energize and reinvent itself after being reduced to Canada's third party in last May's elections. The Liberals had governed the country for most of the last century, but were reduced to 34 seats in the House of Commons in May, leaving the New Democrats to serve as opposition party to the ruling Conservatives.

"I am re-energized by all of you," Crawley said at the convention. "The party is clearly focused on the future."

"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," said interim party president Bob Rae in his speech ending the convention. "And after the resolution on marijuana today, it’s going to be a group of even happier people in the Liberal party."

Prohibition has failed, Rae said. "Do you really think it makes sense to be sending another generation of young people into prison when you realize that the most addictive substances that are facing Canada today are alcohol and cigarettes? Let's face up to it Canada -- the war on drugs has been a complete bust."

The Liberals half-heartedly embraced marijuana decriminalization when they held power a decade ago, but never got around to actually passing it. Now, having tasted defeat, the party is willing to go further, or at least the membership is. Let's see how closely the leadership is listening.