Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jan 2001
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Hollinger Canadian Newspapers
Page: A-11
Contact:  P.O. Box 300, Victoria, B.C. V8W 2N4
Fax: (250)380-5353
Website: http://vvv.com/home/timesc/
Author: Chuck Beyer

POT PARTY WANTS TO MAKE POLITICIANS PAY

The editor, Times Colonist

Vancouver staff sergeant Chuck Doucette says that "technically" pot
possession has already been decriminalized and that there is virtually
no one in jail for possession of marijuana". Perhaps he could explain
this technicality to the two thousand people who are jailed every year
for marijuana possession. This is on top of the 20,000 who receive
criminal records every year and the 50,000 who are harassed and then
have the charges dropped.

Doucette says that there is not one good reason to legalize pot. The
Marijuana party provided 75 good reasons in the last federal election
and we will provide another 79 good reasons in the provincial
election. Our presence will cost someone an election. When two out of
three voters want criminal charges removed for possession its time to
listen to the voters, not Doucette.

As for BC NDP Attorney General Graeme Bowbrick not wanting to comment
on a legal issue that concerns the civil right of British Columbians
to be free of laws we don't want, this is typical for party that has
lost any moral authority to speak for British Columbians.

In this B.C. election the Marijuana Party will be advocating the use
of ballot initiatives because we feel our politicians can no longer be
trusted to stand up for citizens against the police.

We want the legislation altered so that it can be used by BC citizens
to take issues directly to the voters. Then we can give the attorney
general some orders about how we want tax payers money spent.

Chuck Beyer,
BC Marijuana Party
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