Justin Trudeau, Peter MacKay trade barbs over marijuana

Lack of legal aid, overcrowded courts and victimsrights are all serious issues facing Canada's justice system, but Justice Minister Peter MacKay upstaged those troubles Thursday witha tirade against Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.

Just as a news conference was ending at a meeting of Canada'sjustice ministers, MacKay interrupted saying he heard that Trudeauhad discussed legalizing marijuana in front of elementary schoolchildren in Brandon, Man.

"Now I could see Justin Trudeau coming before an assembly likeours, or going before a police convention, or going before a groupof even college students. But to discuss this subject matter infront of children, some of them preteens, about his proposal tolegalize marijuana, I find just appalling," MacKay said.

MacKay said the comments reflect poorly on Trudeau.

"We have no intention of decriminalizing marijuana. And he canshout this from the hilltops as much as he likes, but going beforeschool children, in my view, crosses the line of appropriatebehaviour for a federal leader."

Jillian Austin, a reporter for the Brandon Sun newspaper, was atthe Trudeau event this week and said the Liberal leader spoke to agroup of teens in the gym at the Sioux Valley First Nations school.

His statement on marijuana was a response to a question from astudent, she said.

Austin said Trudeau started by saying that marijuana wasdangerous for young people, because their minds are stilldeveloping, but that he believes regulating pot will make it saferfor children.

Trudeau issued a statement late Thursday calling on MacKay toretract his comments.

"The students in the room applauded a politician with a messageto stay off drugs, and that the current system is not doing enoughto keep it out of the hands of kids," the statement said.

"That the Conservatives would put out a statement condemning thecourage showed by those students is shameful."

Federal government looks at expanding consecutive sentences

Before MacKay criticized Trudeau, justice ministers from allprovinces and territories gathered for a two-day meeting in theYukon capital.

MacKay said they discussed a wide range of issues around justiceand public safety, such as impaired driving, cyber crime, those with fetalalcohol syndrome in the justice system and funding formulas.

The minister noted the federal government is consideringexpanding consecutive sentencing terms to crimes other than murder.

"Certainly sexual offences, aggravated sexual assault, certainviolence criminal offences that might involve weaponsor aggravatedcircumstances and child-sex offences are other Criminal Codeprovisions we're looking at to potentially expand the provisionswhere consecutive versus concurrent sentencing would apply."

The Multiple Murders Act now allows judges to impose consecutiveterms of parole ineligibility for those who commit more than onemurder.

Ontario's Attorney General John Gerretsen said everyone at themeeting has concerns about resources, particularly in supporting alegal aid system.

"I think access to justice is probably the most predominantissue with most of the ministers," he said.

"When you realize the fact that many people who appear in ourcriminal courts, our family courts are unrepresented, access tojustice and what legal aid can do to improve the necessaryrepresentation is always an issue."

Host, Yukon Justice Minister Mike Nixon, said the ministers alsohave concerns about offenders in the correction system who havefetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

He said a prevalence study is being conducted in Yukon right now,but he couldn't say if that study would result in those with FASD being labelled as having a disorder.

Late Thursday, the Conservative party, on behalf of Peter MacKay,put out a statement to its members decrying Trudeau's "recklessplan to legalize marijuana."

The statement asked supporters for $25, or whatever they couldafford, to help Conservative candidates have a strong showing inbyelections being held Nov. 25 in four federal ridings, in Ontario,Quebec and Manitoba.