| Let Freedom Rain |
| Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper: “No, it will not happen under our government” |
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Friday that his government will never agree to the decriminalization of marijuana.
Harper’s comments came in Vancouver in response to a question at a brief news conference following an event at a downtown science center, reports CBC News.
“No, it will not happen under our government,” Harper said. “We’re very concerned about the spread of drugs in the country and the damage it’s doing and as you know we have legislation before the House to crack down.”
Harper didn’t bother to detail exactly what kind of “damage” marijuana is doing to Canada, which has one of the highest rates of cannabis use in the world.
This week, four former Vancouver mayors endorsed the Stop the Violence Coalition, comprised of former police officers, a judge, medical leaders and British Columbia’s former chief coroner.
The coalition says that regulation and taxation of marijuana would stop most of the violence associated with the drug trade and make cannabis less accessible to children.
Current Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has said he agrees with the coalition’s goals.
“We see the impact on the streets,” Robertson said. “We see the gang activity that’s largely funded by the marijuana trade, a huge industry here in B.C. There’s no tax revenue flowing from [it], so I think it’s time for reform.”
