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| Three of Five Tory Candidates Have Smoked Pot |
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Posted by FoM on March 17, 2002 at 17:15:10 PT By Colin Perkel Source: Canadian Press 
Three of five candidates vying to replace Premier Mike Harris for leadership of Ontario's law-and-order Conservative party say they've smoked pot - and one even joked he's yet to exhale. It's an admission that might once have caused political ambitions to go up in smoke, but attitudes both about the use of marijuana and expectations about honesty from politicians appear to have changed the situation. "Only at Argo (football) games . . . when you had to," said Ernie Eves, 55, breaking into uproarious laughter when questioned about his marijuana use. "There were some pretty tough years in the Argonauts history . . . oh, jeepers . . . That was back when I was in university." It only happened on "one or two occasions," said Eves, who many predict will win the race to replace Harris on Saturday. "It didn't do anything for me. Watching the football was bad enough." But rival candidate Jim Flaherty, the finance minister who made a name for himself as attorney general pushing his tough-on-crime agenda and cracking down on squeegee kids, has also toked. "Yeah, in my teenage years," said Flaherty, 52. "A couple of times." But, Flaherty added quickly, it was a walk on the wild side that didn't last very long. "I have to admit: I didn't like it," he said. A national Leger Marketing poll conducted for The Canadian Press last year found 38 per cent of Canadian adults had tried pot, while 47 per cent supported legalization. That might explain why politicians might be feeling less inclined to dodge the question or lie about past pot use. "Soft drugs are becoming more acceptable within our society," said Dave Scholz, a vice-president with Leger. "Even alcohol abuse is considered worse." Still, two of the Tory candidates deny ever smoking up. One is Tony Clement, the health minister, who has made much of the fact that he's the youngest of the candidates at age 41 and stands for the "next generation of ideas." "Not even a cigarette," said Clement, known even by supporters to be more of an egghead than a pothead despite his propensity for renegade rock music. "It's true," he added. "I'm not controversial." While Health Minister Elizabeth Witmer, 55, might be known as the opiate of Ontario politics for her low-key, even soporific style, she also denied ever dabbling with marijuana. "No, I haven't," said Witmer, laughing. "Never, ever! Sorry. I've never had any desire to do so." But Labour Minister Chris Stockwell, 45, who is known for enjoying a good party, had to think when asked. "I never exhaled," Stockwell responded in a nod to former U.S. president Bill Clinton's famous and widely ridiculed assertion that he had smoked marijuana - but never inhaled. Stockwell reconsidered. "Yes, sure, when I was in school I did," he said. And besides, he said - no one would believe him if he denied it. Complete Title: Three of Five Tory Leadership Candidates Have Smoked Pot - One Yet To Exhale Source: Canadian Press (Canada Wire) Related Articles & Web Site: FTE's Canadian Links Chasing Potheads Called Waste of Time Drugs in Canada - Gone To Pot Canada Goes to Pot - We Should Follow Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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Comment #5 posted by Dan B on March 18, 2002 at 11:22:20 PT:
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| dddd . . . I mean this sincerely: I really like your spelling of nurd. It's like "nerd" plus "turd." Wonderfully phonetic, as well. Glad to see you feeling well enough to make several comments. Take care. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by dddd on March 18, 2002 at 07:10:33 PT |
| ..if a person has or has not smoked pot.....It means nothing,,,it's kinda like asking someone if they ever enjoyed having fun,,or found it pleasurable to feel good,,,BUT,,,,it may say something about the person who is being asked to publicly admit,or deny it..................after all,,if a person like Ms. Witmer;""No, I haven't," said Witmer, laughing. "Never, ever! Sorry. I've never had any desire to do so." ",,,well,,this could be taken to mean that she is an ,out of touch square,who lived a sheltered nurd exsistance in her youth,perhap succumbing to reefer madness horror stories.....She's probably honest,and a nice and good person,,(but I would think it would be preferrable to have a health minister who knew what it was like to get stoned.)......I have a problem with anyone who wont really cut the crap,and come out and admit it!.....I might have even voted for the shrub,if he had copped to the truth and said;'.."yea,,I got fucked up many times..the weed made me cough,,but the liquor and blow were great until I realized that they were an Axis of Evil in my life,....".. ..People who have never enjoyed or experienced the herb,should not be allowed to judge those who do!..I think that the majority of anti Marijuana loudmouths have never even tried it..they just parrot the misinformation that is strewn about by the anti cartels.......... ....d.d..d...d [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on March 18, 2002 at 06:22:56 PT |
| A study was done on cadavers in Florida a few years ago. It was discovered that 50 percent of them had drugs in their systems. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Dark Star on March 18, 2002 at 06:09:54 PT |
| Do you notice how when a politician seems to be honest, says they have smoked grass, or even enjoyed it, that the press backs off, and there is no damage done? The 20% hard-liners are lost, but anytime you alienate only that fraction on an issue, you are doing quite well, indeed. When American politicians are similarly honest and introspective (about the same time as porcine flight is scientifically proven and women's lib is accepted in Saudi Arabia), the political situation with cannabis will also change. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by The GCW on March 17, 2002 at 18:41:53 PT |
| And this is what it sounds like: "I never exhaled," - no one would believe him if he denied it. - "Even alcohol abuse is considered worse." - "Soft drugs are becoming more acceptable within our society," - Three of five candidates say they've smoked pot.
The Canadian Press last year found 38 per cent of Canadian adults had tried pot.
That sound is getting prevalent. Green is not the beer, it's the herb. [ Post Comment ] |
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