Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jan 2016
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2016 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Eric McCarthy
Page: A4

WEEDING IT OUT

Author of Cannabis in Canada Sends Marijuana With Book to P.E.I. MPs

Island MPs didn't even review the literature that a British Columbia 
pot activist mailed to their constituency offices.

Dana Larsen claims to have sent a copy of his book, Cannabis in 
Canada: The Illustrated History, plus a one-gram marijuana sampling 
to all 184 MPs in the new Liberal government. Besides promoting his 
book, it was to serve as a reminder of the Liberal government's 
promise to decriminalize marijuana.

Egmont MP Bobby Morrissey said the RCMP had already picked up the 
package, including the book and the marijuana, before he was even 
aware it had arrived at his Summerside office.

"A staff member advised me that there was a package at the office 
that was suspicious and that she dealt with it according to 
protocol," Morrissey said.

The protocol involves police "who remove it and determine if it is a 
package that should not arrive at an MP's office," Morrissey explained.

There was no noticeable smell when the package first arrived, and it 
was only deemed suspicious after a staff member opened it and saw the contents.

Staff had already contacted the RCMP prior to receiving a communique 
from the Liberal Whip's office advising them to use that approach.

At Wayne Easter's Malpeque office in Hunter River, a staff member 
opened the package, saw the book and set it inside Easter's "green 
book" for him to review upon his return to the country. Once the 
office received the communique, the staff member retrieved the 
contents from Easter's office. The RCMP picked up the package, book 
and marijuana. A staff member at the Hunter River office said it was 
the first time she can recall a package of that nature arriving there.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom