jafro daweedhound
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SORRY - OLD STORY FROM 2013 - I need a coffee.......
Trudeau sticks to marijuana possession arrest stats
By Jessica Hume, National Bureau
First posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 02:27 PM MDT | Updated: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 04:06 PM MDT
Justin Trudeau. (STEVENS LEBLANC/QMI Agency files)
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Trudeau was quoted Aug. 23 saying the government's pot prohibition policy had "left 475,000 people with criminal records since the Conservatives took office in 2006."
Statistics Canada reports the number of all criminal incidents reported by police for possession, production, trafficking and/or distribution of marijuana at just under 480,000 since 2006.
A reported incident does not mean an arrest has been made, a charge laid or a conviction earned.
Trudeau's press secretary initially described his errors as a "slip of the tongue."
Tuesday, Trudeau appeared to double down on his figures, attributing that 475,000 as the number of pot-related arrests.
Statistics Canada does not keep records of the number of arrests, and Trudeau gave no indication where he got his statistic.
NDP justice critic Francoise Boivin said Trudeau's pot comments — from his admission to having smoked the stuff while sitting as an MP to his interpretation of the number of related arrests — have drawn attention to an important issue, but also shown that Trudeau is not the leader best equipped to tackle the challenges.
"If he wants to talk about this he should come equipped with statistics, with studies," she said. "Was this all just to prove transparency? Because if that's the case, let's remember he voted with the Conservatives for mandatory minimums (for marijuana possession in 2009)."
Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, can't remember ever charging someone with pot possession or showing up at court for a possession charge.
"Before police would charge someone (with possession), there would have to be some other aggravating factor," he said.
Stamatakis said, in most cases, possession charges are often the result of more serious charges being downgraded through plea bargaining.
"For a (marijuana possession charge) to make its way to a full-blown trial is fairly rare."
Lawyer Ron Guertin says it isn't quite as rare as the cops make it out to be.
"Trudeau's being assailed for getting his numbers wrong but he's factually correct. I see these lives being ruined. Even when you get a discharge, there's a record of that," he said. "People should not be getting criminal records for smoking a joint."
Trudeau sticks to marijuana possession arrest stats
By Jessica Hume, National Bureau
First posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 02:27 PM MDT | Updated: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 04:06 PM MDT
Justin Trudeau. (STEVENS LEBLANC/QMI Agency files)
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Trudeau was quoted Aug. 23 saying the government's pot prohibition policy had "left 475,000 people with criminal records since the Conservatives took office in 2006."
Statistics Canada reports the number of all criminal incidents reported by police for possession, production, trafficking and/or distribution of marijuana at just under 480,000 since 2006.
A reported incident does not mean an arrest has been made, a charge laid or a conviction earned.
Trudeau's press secretary initially described his errors as a "slip of the tongue."
Tuesday, Trudeau appeared to double down on his figures, attributing that 475,000 as the number of pot-related arrests.
Statistics Canada does not keep records of the number of arrests, and Trudeau gave no indication where he got his statistic.
NDP justice critic Francoise Boivin said Trudeau's pot comments — from his admission to having smoked the stuff while sitting as an MP to his interpretation of the number of related arrests — have drawn attention to an important issue, but also shown that Trudeau is not the leader best equipped to tackle the challenges.
"If he wants to talk about this he should come equipped with statistics, with studies," she said. "Was this all just to prove transparency? Because if that's the case, let's remember he voted with the Conservatives for mandatory minimums (for marijuana possession in 2009)."
Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, can't remember ever charging someone with pot possession or showing up at court for a possession charge.
"Before police would charge someone (with possession), there would have to be some other aggravating factor," he said.
Stamatakis said, in most cases, possession charges are often the result of more serious charges being downgraded through plea bargaining.
"For a (marijuana possession charge) to make its way to a full-blown trial is fairly rare."
Lawyer Ron Guertin says it isn't quite as rare as the cops make it out to be.
"Trudeau's being assailed for getting his numbers wrong but he's factually correct. I see these lives being ruined. Even when you get a discharge, there's a record of that," he said. "People should not be getting criminal records for smoking a joint."
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