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SE City

HD Marijuana activist pushes for change; 'Gradually, we will win,' says B.C.'s Ted Smith

BY Ilana Belfer

CR Ottawa Citizen

WC 620 words

PD 26 November 2012

SN Ottawa Citizen

SC OTCT

ED Final

PG C3

LA English

CY Copyright 2012 Ottawa Citizen

LP

Riding the wave of what some are calling a "cannabis spring," B.C. marijuana activist Ted Smith brought

his "Hempology 101" convention to the Ottawa Public Library's central branch Sunday.

Smith, on his first tour beyond his home province, where he has held similar events for a dozen years, said

successful legalization votes in the states of Colorado and Washington have given new energy to the

cause.

TD

"There's a certain momentum happening that has never occurred before," he said.

The Ottawa event, like all stops on his tour, including Halifax, Sackville, N.B., and Toronto, featured local

speakers, including activists, scholars and public figures.

"The goal is to plant the seed," said Smith, who hopes to see more and more campus clubs "sprout up" at

universities.

Russell Barth, a public marijuana activist in Ottawa for 10 years, spoke at the event and said he has

noticed a shift in public perception over time.

"In 2002 or 2003, when you talked about medical marijuana people would purse their lips, roll their eyes

and go, 'Oh, yeah, sure.' Now you talk to a stranger on the bus and they go, 'Oh, yeah, I've heard good

things about that'. "

Still, Barth said the city has a long way to go, compared to Toronto or Vancouver.

"Ottawa's not quite as hip as it likes to think," he said. "There's a lot of pot people, but not that many who

want to put their names out there to change laws."

At the federal level, Smith said the wave of optimism within the pro-pot lobby is somewhat stymied by the

Conservative government.

On Nov. 6, the same day marijuana was legalized in the two U.S. states, mandatory minimum sentencing

came into effect in Canada for the trafficking, import, export and production of marijuana as part of Bill

C-10, the Conservatives' Safe Streets and Communities Act.

8/13/2019 Marijuana activist pushes for change

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Nevertheless, Eugene Osca-pella, a lawyer and criminology professor at the University of Ottawa, told the

crowd that progressive moves in the U.S. may have some Canadian influence.

"Traditionally, the Canadian federal government has relied on the excuse ... (that) 'Even if we want to

change the law, we really can't do anything because the United States won't let us.' That was true under

Bush ... but that is no longer the case," he said. "With Obama in his second term, there's at least greater

hope that there's room for manoeuvring in Canada that there wasn't before."

Oscapella said one potentially successful form of activism would be for lawyers to plead their clients not

guilty in all marijuana cases.

"About 90 per cent of all criminal cases are resolved by guilty plea," he said. "If we took all those drug

cases and pleaded not guilty, the criminal justice system would become so constipated that no amount of

ex-lax would help it."

The qualm about that plan, he said, would be the ethical issue for lawyers, because not every client would

benefit from such a plea.

Whatever the path, Barth said he is prepared for a long struggle.

"What I see coming in the future is much like the civil rights movement.

"There will never be a moment where we can declare freedom. There's always going to be someone whosays we don't deserve freedom and it's going to keep going back and forth."

At the same time, with a room full of people supporting his cause and the lingering odour of pot wafting

through the air, he saw hope.

"Gradually," he said, "we will win."

RE cana : Canada | usa : United States | caon : Ontario | ottaw : Ottawa | namz : North America

PUB Ottawa Citizen

AN Document OTCT000020121126e8bq0001t

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