SASKATOON -- An ongoing vigil for marijuana activist Marc Emery will start today outside the courthouse where he was convicted. Emery, known as the Prince of Pot, was sentenced to three months in jail last week after pleading guilty to one count of trafficking. The sentence was handed down by Saskatoon Provincial Court Judge Albert Lavoie. It was Emery's 11th drug-related conviction, but the first time he has been sent to jail. In an interview Monday, B.C. Marijuana Party member Chris Bennett called the sentence "outrageous." [continues 481 words]
An ongoing vigil for marijuana activist Marc Emery will start today outside the courthouse where he was convicted. Emery, known as the Prince of Pot, was sentenced to three months in jail last week after pleading guilty to one count of trafficking. The sentence was handed down by Saskatoon provincial court Judge Albert Lavoie. It was Emery's 11th drug-related conviction, but the first time he has been sent to jail. In an interview Monday, B.C. Marijuana Party member Chris Bennett called the sentence "outrageous." [continues 474 words]
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) is taking a stand against smoking tobacco on school property. At its annual council meeting held in Saskatoon this week, a resolution was passed "that the STF lobby the provincial government to declare all schools and schoolgrounds to be smoke-free areas." The move comes at the heels of the province's recent ban on the display of tobacco products -- aimed at preventing young people from lighting up. Under the Tobacco Control Act, Saskatchewan has forced cigarettes to be obscured from the eyes of people under the age of 18, and has also banned the promotion of tobacco products in places that young people are allowed to go. [continues 473 words]
SASKATOON -- The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) is taking a stand against smoking tobacco on school property. At its annual council meeting in Saskatoon this week, a resolution was passed "that the STF lobby the provincial government to declare all schools and school grounds to be smoke-free areas." The move comes on the heels of the province's recent ban on the display of tobacco products -- aimed at preventing young people from lighting up. Under the Tobacco Control Act, Saskatchewan has forced cigarettes to be obscured from the sight of people under the age of 18, and has also banned the promotion of tobacco products in places that young people are allowed to go. [continues 277 words]
As Many As 15 Hospitalized After House Party In Nipawin Fifteen youths -- ranging in age from 11 to 15 -- were taken to hospital after taking morphine pills Tuesday night at a house party in the town of Nipawin. RCMP Cpl. Brian Jones said Wednesday he didn't know how many pills the kids took, but "some of the people were very sick. "I don't know how many youths were at the gathering in the home, and I don't know how many took the pills, but I know that 15 were sick and taken to hospital," he said. [continues 374 words]
Supporters of a mattress detox unit in Saskatoon say the much-needed project will likely be scrapped, since the provincial government didn't contribute funding for the facility in last month's provincial budget. So far, the City of Saskatoon has committed $100,000 per year and Saskatoon District Health (SDH) $125,000 per year to help operate the facility, where inebriated people can sober up instead of spending the night in a police cell. Proponents of the short-term detox centre had been anxiously waiting for the provincial government to decide whether it would contribute $360,000 per year to help operate the facility. [continues 418 words]
The head of the Marijuana Party of B.C. wants to set up a political party in this province as an alternative to the existing Marijuana Party of Alberta. "This party will be more libertarian, more free-market oriented, more geared by people who are influential in Alberta politics already," president Marc Emery said yesterday. "It will have a much more broader hook than just legalizing marijuana." Emery said the party, which he won't name yet, would also focus on "taxation and fiscal issues" and would pressure the provincial and federal governments "to keep (the) gun registry out of Alberta." [continues 218 words]
Canadian cops could catch more terrorists if they didn't have to waste time chasing potheads, a Canadian Alliance MP says. Keith Martin is sponsoring a private member's bill to decriminalize small-scale marijuana possession, a move he said would free up scarce police resources to fight international terrorism. "It will save about $150 million a year in Canada, I figure," the B.C. MP said yesterday. "That money could be used to focus our police and judicial systems on dealing with more serious criminals like terrorists, rapists, murderers and pedophiles." [continues 321 words]
