Pubdate: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 Source: Alberni Valley News (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Alberni Valley News Contact: http://www.albernivalleynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4247 Author: Tom Fletcher I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BROCHURE: HEED VICTORIA - Vancouver-Fraserview MLA Kash Heed says it wasn't until after last spring's election that he first heard about the campaign brochure that apparently led to his sudden departure from cabinet. Heed stepped down as public safety minister Friday, after he was informed by an RCMP officer that he was part of a police investigation into Elections Act violations during the May 2009 election campaign. Vancouver-Fraserview NDP candidate Gabriel Yiu's campaign complained to Elections BC after anonymous Chinese-language brochures were delivered to voters in the final days of the election. The brochures claimed the NDP supported legalizing drugs and prostitution, and also supported an inheritance tax, ideas known to be widely opposed in B.C.'s Chinese community. An English portion of the brochure claimed "NDP promises could legalize drugs," increase the price of beer and impose a "death tax." The brochure is crudely illustrated with pictures of coffins and injection drug users, using the letters NDP to stand for "negative, destructive, painful." Heed said Monday he only heard about the brochures after the election, from a Chinese newspaper that was brought to his campaign office after he had won the Vancouver-Fraserview seat by a narrow margin. He said he paid little attention to it, because "my campaign would never endorse anything like that." Heed said he has not yet been interviewed by the police about possible Elections Act violations, but will co-operate fully and he looks forward to being reinstated to cabinet. Premier Gordon Campbell said Monday he didn't know about the brochures until this past weekend, after he had accepted Heed's resignation. Campbell has appointed B.C. Attorney General Mike de Jong to serve as interim public safety minister. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D