Reading a Pew Research Center study about Americans and marijuana, I was surprised how rapidly support for legalization rose, and to what heights. From 16 percent support in 1989 edging up to 32 percent at the turn of the century and then soaring to 89 percent by 2019. Fifty-nine percent
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Montreal Simon: Andrew Scheer and the Scary Portrait of a Con Clown
When I saw this photo of Andrew Scheer getting his portrait as Speaker hung in the House of Commons, I couldn't help thinking of Oscar Wilde's classic story The Picture of Dorian Gray.Where a portrait of the murderous Dorian ages, while he remains unchanged.Except that in my version of the story
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: 3 Arguments Why Marijuana Should Stay Illegal Reviewed
Let’s legalize and tax the hell out of drugs putting the proceeds to addiction problems and the betterment of society.
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Why Is Andrew Scheer Trying to Kill Plans to Legalize Marijuana?
If everything had gone according to plan, marijuana would have been legalized in this country on July 1, Canada's birthday.But now it looks as if we will have to wait until at least Labour Day. There is a slim but very real chance that it could take years before it is
Continue readingMontreal Simon: How Andrew Scheer Is Trying To Kill The Marijuana Bill
I watched Andrew Scheer's appearance last night on Tout Le Monde En Parle, Quebec's biggest talk show.And although I thought his French was (slightly) better than I had imagined it would be, his fifteen minute appearance can only be described as a bust, or a snooze fest.If you understand French you can
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Go figure! St. Albert report claims city will need 10 more cops because marijuana will soon be legal!
PHOTOS: St. Albert’s iconic City Hall. Below: St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron, City Councillor Ken MacKay, anti-smoking lobbyist Les Hagen, and former mayor Nolan Crouse. ST. ALBERTA, Alberta An arresting news story in a community newspaper on Saturday claimed Ottawa’s plan to legalize marijuana this summer will result in more
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Reforming Politics One Reefer at a Time – Priorities of the Canadian Government
In Canada it is easy to see where elite consensus lies. Marijuana legislation is barrelling ahead (potheads rejoice!) and electoral reform is dead in the water and slowly sinking out of the public’s consciousness. This is how electoral reform died in Canada: “In response, Trudeau pointed to a difference of
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Will the Turkey Senate Delay the Legalization of Marijuana?
As you may know I lost my respect for the Senate long ago, during the days when Stephen Harper ruled the roost.And those stuffed turkeys couldn't kiss his ass enough.And although Justin Trudeau allowed them to become independent, they're still gobbling like crazy.And the ghosts of Harper past still haunt the
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Guess Who’s Going Into The Marijuana Business?
A few days ago I wondered how long we might have to wait before marijuana is legalized in this country.And whether the premiers, the police, and Andrew Scheer's Cons would be able to stop the Trudeau government from making next years's Canada Day also Cannabis Day. But now I'm feeling a lot
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Will We Have to Wait Longer for Marijuana to Be Legalized?
We've been talking about legalizing marijuana in this country for about fifty years, since the Le Dain Commission delivered its report. Which was completely ignored, as was another report produced by the Senate.So I'm glad that our next Canada Day is also supposed to be Cannabis Day, the day the insane War
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Liberals and the Legalization of Marijuana
Wednesday was National Weed Day or 4/20 day, when all over Canada and the world people gather to celebrate cannabis culture and smoke up.So one has to commend the Liberal government for the timing of this announcement. Federal legislation to legalize…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Chill, Baby, Chill
After spending a rather stressful past day-and-a-half on personal matters, I found the advice of Clive Weighill, President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and Saskatoon’s police chief, rather appealing:Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Taking The time To Get It Right
Rather than plunging headlong into the legalization of marijuana, it sounds like the Trudeau government is taking the time to ensure that the legislation achieves its stated goals: keeping it out of the hands of young people, diminishing the black mark…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Revisiting The Old Days
I am old enough to remember the days here in Ontario when getting alcohol of any kind from the Liquor Control Board (fondly known here as the LCBO) was a ritual conducted without joy. Far in the future lay today’s attractive displays of myriad products from around the world, inviting
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: On Progressive Legislation
While I am sure that the legalization of marijuana will not be a legislative priority of the incoming government, I have little doubt that Justin Trudeau will honour his pledge to enact it. It is something I have given a fair bit of thought to, and although initially I was
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Federal election 2015: Real debate about legalizing marijuana needed
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s moral crusade against marijuana escalates the war on drugs wastes public resources on law enforcement and the justice system. The post Federal election 2015: Real debate about legalizing marijuana needed appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Carnac The Magnificent Stephen Harper Is Not
Readers of a certain age will remember with fondness the Tonight Show, starring Johnny Carson. A staple in my youth and throughout my adult life, Carson was a peerless entertainer who would often go to considerable lengths for laughs; like all comedic endeavours, some worked better than others. One of
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Here’s One Way to Fund Badly Needed Infrastructure Projects
It’s the Colorado way – weed. Since legalizing the production, sale and recreational use of marijuana the state has been raking in a tidy sum in new excise taxes. Colorado’s marijuana users are helping to buy new roofs, boilers and security upgrades for public schools across the state as the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Pros and Cons
Following up on Rona Ambrose’s stout denial that the government’s planned anti-marijuana campaign has anything to do with trying to undermine Justin Trudeau, along with Canadian doctors refusing to be part of a campaign that has become, as they describe it, political messaging, here are the perspectives of two National
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Denial And Outrage
During my teaching career, it was occasionally my unpleasant task to confront a student with evidence of his or her cheating; most situations revolved around plagiarizing essays or having skipped a test. The student’s responses when confronted were invariably the same; indeed, they tended to parallel Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ five stages
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