Pubdate: Wed, 22 Apr 2009
Source: Langley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Langley Times
Contact:  http://www.langleytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1230
Author: Natasha Jones

GREEN CANDIDATE RUNS ON ANTI-PROHIBITION PLATFORM

Travis Erbacher, the founder of Langley Residents for Drug Policy 
Reform, is the Green Party's candidate for the Fort Langley-Aldergrove riding.

"Although I am only 19 years old, I have been fascinated with 
politics my entire life and have been politically active for several 
years," Erbacher said in his announcement.

Last year, he helped on Liberal hopeful Jake Gray's federal election campaign.

"My early experiences in the political arena have been positive and 
have shown that the people of Langley appreciate a fresh voice to 
contrast with the same tired politics of the sitting political 
parties," Erbacher said.

"I am . . . not afraid to rock the boat and to take a principled 
stand, even if that stand is not a mainstream one.

"I have stood my own in debates with a member of parliament and 
believe running for office is the next step in my political career," he said.

Erbacher has written several letters to the editors of local papers 
on the Conservative party's "tough on crime" approach which he calls a failure.

He promises to put tough questions to his opponents "and speak for 
the average person who does what they can to support a sustainable 
community, who is concerned about increasing gang violence, and who 
worries about the health of our environment, as well as our citizens."

In a recent letter to the editor of The Times, Erbacher called Prime 
Minister Stephen Harper's visit to Vancouver "highly disturbing" 
because of the Conservative Party's plan to re-introduce previously 
expired legislation which would increase the penalty for growing a 
single marijuana plant to a mandatory minimum sentence of six months in prison.

"When alcohol prohibition was in effect many people died from impure 
homemade alcohol, and innocent people were shot down in the streets 
over territorial disputes.

"Does this sound familiar? That was nearly a century ago."

The candidate said that prohibition increases prices, reduces purity 
which leads to accidental deaths, and increases the violence of gang 
rivalries due to higher sums of money being involved.

The solution is to legalize drugs, he said.

"Put the gangs out of business. Politicians who support prohibition 
are guaranteeing gangs' increasingly high profit margins from drug 
sales, as well as a monopoly on the drug trade," Erbacher said.

"If there was no money in the drug trade, there would be nothing to 
fight over, and there would be no more innocent deaths.

Until that happens, the blood of innocents will be on all of our hands.

"Hopefully, before it's too late, this fact will weigh heavily on all 
of our minds, and finally, after a century of failed drug policy and 
unnecessary death, we will do the right thing."

Erbacher's entry into the May 12 election race ensures both Langley 
ridings will have a Green Party candidate.

Ron Abgrall is the candidate in Langley.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart