Pubdate: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2005 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: By Joe Paraskevas, CanWest News Service Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjparty.htm (Canadian Marijuana Party) MARIJUANA PARTY'S EX-LEADER BECOMES A LIBERAL CONVERT OTTAWA -- Political defections to the Liberal party aren't unusual, but the announcement today to confirm the issuance of Liberal membership No. 766001 is bound to turn heads. Marc-Boris St-Maurice, the founder and former leader of the Marijuana party, is the latest Liberal convert and vows he won't be satisfied to sit quietly on the sidelines. St-Maurice said yesterday he wants to help the Liberals become the party that completely legalizes marijuana and he believes there is already substantial support for such legislation among party members. "They may be silent supporters, but I know for a fact that it's very strong support and I will try and -- without trying to make any puns -- smoke them out, identify them and work to try and come together and make (new legislation) work." In the last eight years, St-Maurice, 36, has helped organize parties dedicated to reforming marijuana laws. He's also been arrested seven times for possessing small amounts of marijuana, has appeared before committees of the House of Commons and the Senate, calling for the drug's legalization, and ran against Prime Minister Paul Martin in Martin's Montreal-area riding of LaSalle-Emard in the June 28, 2004, election -- receiving 324 votes compared to Martin's 23,258. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh