Canada takes a LEAP forward in drug reform advocacy
by Matthew Johnston, WesternStandard.ca, August 14, 2008

“LEAP [Law Enforcement Against Prohibition] faces an uphill battle, but the odds in this battle may have improved somewhat this week. Libertarian Party leader Dennis Young has joined the organization. A legal agent in Calgary and a former military police officer, Young has been fiercely critical of the current government’s approach to drug policy.

” “Stephen Harper is at odds with Canadians who are overwhelmingly opposed to putting marijuana users in prison. He’s at odds with the countless cops and prosecutors I talk to everyday. And he’s at odds with members of his own caucus, people like Scott Reid and even Stockwell Day,” said Young.

In 2001, libertarian-leaning Scott Reid wrote that “prohibition skews the allocation of law enforcement resources, artificially raises prices to extremely high levels, encourages crime by addicts, and prevents the emergence of private institutions and products to deal with the very real social problems posed by addiction.” And Public Safety minister Stockwell Day has said in the past that marijuana users should face only fines, and not the possibility of prison sentences.

“When those guys get sick of towing Harper’s line on this drug policy disaster, they are welcome in the Libertarian Party,” said Young.

August 26th, 2008