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Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama’s views clashed with those of Latin American countries on two issues – Cuba and on the war on drugs, during Saturday’s summit in Colombia.

According to the CBC, Harper and Obama represented the only countries who still did not want to lobby to invite Cuba to the Organization of American States.

Three Latin American leaders said they will not attend the next summit if Canada and the US do not lobby in favor of Cuba.

At the summit Harper agreed with Colombian President Juan Santos who said the war on drugs is not working and that he would like to see a debate on its decriminalization instead.

Drivers under twenty-one are facing a new alcohol restriction. A ban from drinking any amount of alcohol before driving started on Saturday, CTV reports.

A Quebec road safety expert says when it comes to young driver accidents, half the time there is alcohol involved.

Young drivers caught with even a drop of alcohol will lose their license for ninety days. They will also be fined from three hundred to six hundred dollars and lose four demerit points.

A Mothers Against Drunk Driving spokesperson says the ban will save lives as young people take more risks.

Drivers younger than twenty-four make up ten per cent of the driving population. But they are responsible for twenty-five percent of road accidents.

Hearings on whether the province can extend its injunction on the long-gun registry continue in Quebec Superior Court today.

According to CTV lawyers for the federal government attempted to squash Quebec’s injunction on the long-gun registry in court yesterday.  The injunction which expires today requires Quebecers to continue to register their long-guns and prevents the feds from destroying its portion of the data.

While Harper’s government says its has no problem with Quebec starting its own registry it does oppose sharing the data.  Bill C-19 which scrapped the long-gun registry was passed in parliament earlier this year.

The province of Quebec wants to extend the injunction until the constitutionality of the data issue is  argued in court this June.

Police dispersed a student protest held outside Concordia’s Hall building Thursday morning. According to The Link, students blocked the entrance to the building. The CBC reports that 75 protestors were able to delay exams. The university did not announce any cancelations saying it had a responsibility to students who wanted to take their exams.

Meanwhile picket lines at Collège de Valleyfield forced the school to cancel its plan to resume classes.

Just the day before students had organized 12-hour protest marathon that disrupted much of downtown Montreal.

A spokesperson for one of the student organizations said that students won’t back down until the government is willing to negotiate.

The government has not taken any steps towards negotiation or towards a reduction in the tuition hike. So far it has only announced a new loan plan.

Photo: Boris Degas