Pubdate: Thu, 11 Oct 2001
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Author: Ted Colley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

POT ADVOCATE FACES BIG TIME

He might be on his way to jail today, but former political candidate and 
convicted marijuana grower Don Briere found time to launch the Canadian 
Sanctuary Society in Surrey Tuesday.

The society is dedicated to helping people legally obtain marijuana for 
medical purposes.

Tuesday's grand opening ran into a little hitch, however.

"We were all set to do this, but the guy who has the key is on the other 
side of Hope and he's tied up in traffic," Briere explained outside the 
64th Avenue warehouse complex where the CSS office is located.

Briere ran for the Marijuana Party in Surrey-Tynehead during the last 
provincial election on a legalize-pot platform. He polled 370 votes.

His legal woes came to light during the campaign. Briere was arrested when 
police busted his marijuana grow-operation in March 1999. Charged with 
cultivation, possession for the purposes of trafficking, money laundering, 
possessing a prohibited weapon and unlawful storage of ammunition, Briere 
ultimately pleaded guilty and was to appear in Surrey provincial court 
today for sentencing.

In a joint submission to the court, both the defence and Crown agreed a 
four-year sentence is appropriate.

The Crown wants Briere to do four years in prison; he's hoping for a 
conditional sentence or failing that, the chance to serve his time in a 
minimum security institution.

Despite his conviction, Briere is unrepentant and still pushing hard for 
the decriminalization of pot. He thumbed through a large scrap book of 
press clippings reporting the efforts of he, and others across the country, 
to have pot possession made legal.

"It's crazy. Who would you rather have living next door; someone who smokes 
pot, who's not going to be rowdy or violent, or an alcoholic who maybe 
beats his wife?" he asked.

He's set up CSS to help people with the complicated paperwork he said must 
be filled out before medical marijuana can be obtained.

"They'll come here and we'll process their applications and give them a 
referral. That way, they will be able to get their medication."

Briere seemed nonchalant about the prospect of going to prison, perhaps for 
four years. He has four children: an adult daughter from a previous 
marriage and three youngsters aged five, seven and 10 years. Another child, 
a son, died at age 24 from a heroin overdose.

"Do I have regrets? Who wouldn't? There's not a single person in the world 
who would say they're happy to be away from their family."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager