Misconception Of Laws

Stockwell Day’s name is mentioned at least twice on Castanet. The first is in relation to his predictions the decriminalization of marijuana possession will cost Canadians jobs and hurt the Canadian economy by interfering with Canada-US trade at the border and that work on trans fats is a misplaced priority, and the second in a letter written by someone criticizing his biblical based creation beliefs. I’d like to comment on these topics.

With respect to the proposed pot laws, Mr. Day is actually helping to bring about his dire predictions by repeating an unfortunately common misunderstanding or misconception about what is being proposed. The changes to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act will not legalize the possession of marijuana. Persons convicted of possessing pot will still be committing an offense, but it will be a minor offense with a prescribed fine based on the amount of pot involved.

Procedurally, possession of a small amount of pot will be equal to getting a speeding ticket. I understand there are a number of U.S. states where this is already the case. For example, if after the proposed possession laws are passed, Mr. Day was to be caught by a police officer with a relatively small amount of pot, and if he either admits guilt or pleads not guilty and is convicted after a trial, he will have to pay a fine. He will avoid an entry onto a criminal record. I’m not suggesting for one second that Mr. Day is a pot user, or will become one or that he has a criminal record.

“Decriminalization” simply means you avoid a criminal record entry if you commit the offense. Mr. Day and others of like mind should stop broadcasting that Canada is legalizing possessing pot which it isn’t. I hope our American neighbours do not overreact. It will still be illegal in Canada to possess it. It will still be a criminal offense to produce marijuana without a medical exemption or to traffic the drug. I for one would appreciate if our MPs would help Canada maintain good trade and security relations with the US as opposed to making things worse by mis-stating the facts.

With respect to Mr. Day’s comments that work on prohibiting trans fats is a misplaced priority for our federal government, I also respectfully disagree. I believe it is common knowledge that the use of trans fats in the manufacturing of our processed foods has a severe and direct link to serious cardiovascular health problems and, some suggest, even to cancer. Trans fats are toxic substances our bodies are not designed or able to metabolize. Anything our government can do to force manufacturers to stop using them will improve the health of Canadians and reduce the future burden on our health care system and the need for money to pay for it.

Finally, your reader’s criticisms of Mr. Day’s religious beliefs are misplaced. We all have a set of personal values and beliefs, some of which are spiritually based. We all have beliefs and biases, including Mr. Day and those who are uncomfortable with them. I for one acknowledge his world view on creation as having more credibility and common sense than those who criticize it. Some creation models use a literal 7 day interpretation of Genesis, and others use it metaphorically.

What is true however, is that all models which attempt to explain the origins of the universe, our solar system, Earth and life on it are theories based on faith. No human being has witnessed and reported on the events, yet we often believe life formed and developed one way or another. This simple admission is troubling for some in a society which has been taught for generations the false dogma and misconception that evolution is based on “science” while creation is based on “religion”.

People need more faith and a stronger “religion” to believe that the universe, solar system, Earth and all permutations of life on it could form spontaneously, by chance, in a hostile environment incapable of supporting life as we know it. It takes less faith to believe we are here due to outside intelligent intervention and design. Similarly, it takes more faith to believe the interdependency, complexity, dynamics and fragility of life and it’s building blocks (DNA, chromosomes, cells, immune systems, reproductive capability, etc.) formed and developed over time beginning with a random series of collisions of space matter than to think it was all designed and put in place in some manner. There is far more that can be said, but I’ll leave it there. If you want more information on a science tested creation model, visit www.reasons.org.

Roy Sommerey