PORT HARDY - Where does NDP incumbent MP Catherine Bell stand on the legalization of marijuana?

That question was asked by Conservative candidate John Duncan, during an Oct. 1 all-candidate’s meeting for the Oct. 14 federal election, after Bell told high school students at an earlier all-candidates meeting at North Island Secondary in Port McNeill that the NDP would legalize marijuana.

“We are running educational programs in the schools to try to keep our children away from illegal drugs and now we have a sitting MP telling them her party’s position is to make those same drugs legal,” Duncan told the meeting in Port Hardy. “Our educators and law enforcement personnel have a big enough job on their hands without having the wrong message being sent to our youth.”

Duncan complained that federal NDP leader Jack Layton outlined a different position and this is confusing to voters.

“Are we to believe Layton or Bell - is the NDP in favor of legalization of marijuana? Vancouver Island North families deserve to know the NDP position,” said Duncan.

Bell answered that question earlier in the evening, after it was raised by a person at the Port Hardy meeting. “I mis-spoke yesterday, and said the NDP is in favour of legalization of marijuana,” said Bell. “Actually the NDP is in favour of decriminalization of marijuana for adult use.

“New Democrats oppose a Bush-style war on drugs, which Stephen Harper is in favour of,” Bell continued. “The U.S. approach, which Stephen Harper favours, is not working.”

When it came his turn to answer the question about legalization of marijuana, Duncan fired back instead. “Our MLA said her party is in favour of legalizing marijana ... I was horrified,” he said. “It wasn’t a mistake because she repeated it. Our MLA should apologize for what she said.”

In between that exchange, the three other candidates in the Oct. 14 federal election outlined their posiitons on legalizing marijuana.

“The Liberals were close to decriminalizing marijuana,” said Liberal candidate Jeff Fleischer. “It makes no sense to criminalize youth for something similar to alcohol.”

Green Party hopeful Philip Stone said his party would legalize marijuana. “The war on drugs has done nothing to decrease use ... in fact it has increased,” said Stone. “Prohibition does not work ... we should legalize it and eliminate organized crime.”

Independent Party Canada founder Jason Draper went the other way on marijuana. “I’m completely against it, but I don’t think it’s right to ruin somebody’s life for,” said Draper. “We need a crack down on dealers and prison time.”