Pubdate: Fri, 13 Dec 2013
Source: Delta Optimist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc
Contact:  http://www.delta-optimist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1265
Author: Dave Willis
Cited: Sensible BC: http://www.sensiblebc.ca

POT CAMPAIGN FAILS TO GET NEEDED SIGNATURES

Less than 10 per cent of registered voters in Ladner and Tsawwassen 
signed the petition calling on the government to decriminalize 
marijuana possession

Over five per cent of registered voters in Delta South signed the 
Sensible BC petition, according to the group.

Sensible BC, which for the past three months has been campaigning to 
trigger a provincial referendum on decriminalizing marijuana 
possession, wasn't able to collect the signatures of more than 10 per 
cent of registered voters in each of the province's 85 electoral 
districts by Monday.

The Sensible BC website stated it succeeded in 20 districts, came 
close in five others, got over halfway in 23 and got less than 
halfway in 37 districts.

The 10 per cent threshold in Delta South equated to 3,477 signatures.

Local organizer Ralph Howey said a lack of volunteers and not having 
an area like a SkyTrain station to solicit signatures were factors.

"We are disappointed, but I'm not surprised," he said, adding the way 
the initiative is structured through Elections BC it's almost designed to fail.

The campaign collected about 210,000 signatures, noted Sensible BC 
director Dana Larsen in a post on the group's website.

"We didn't achieve our ultimate goal this time around, but this is 
still a remarkable feat, and everyone involved in this campaign 
should feel proud of our accomplishments so far," he wrote, adding 
Sensible BC will definitely launch another signature-gathering campaign.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom