Pubdate: Tue, 24 May 2005
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Glenda Luymes
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Cited: B.C. Marijuana Party http://www.bcmarijuanaparty.ca/

MARIJUANA PARTY SUES OVER FREEDOM OF SPEECH

The B.C. Marijuana Party is suing the Surrey School Board and the City of 
Abbotsford for targeting the party and its candidates' freedom of speech 
during the provincial election campaign.

"In both cases, our right to promote our position was taken away from us," 
said Marijuana Party campaign manager Kirk Tousaw. "That's unacceptable 
under the Charter of Rights."

The party's case against the Surrey School Board centres on an 
all-candidates' debate at Surrey's Queen Elizabeth School.

Tousaw said the party's candidate, Amanda Boggan, was invited to 
participate by a student. The same student called back the next day to tell 
her the school had said Boggan was not invited.

When Boggan tried to attend the debate, she was asked to leave.

"I thought it was detrimental to the students' political education," Boggan 
said yesterday. "I felt very intimidated by the school board."

The party's case against the City of Abbotsford concerns the removal of 
Abbotsford-Mount Lehman candidate Tim Felger's signs.

They were near a school and were removed after people complained they were 
offensive.

Tousaw said the city told him it did not take down the signs, but he is 
skeptical.

"It was a targeted action against a political stance," Tousaw said. "It was 
completely undemocratic."

The separate lawsuits were filed in B.C. Supreme Court on May 13.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom