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Pro-Pot Party Takes School Board, City To Court
Pubdate: Sat, 14 May 2005
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun
Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Ian Mulgrew
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjparty.htm (Canadian Marijuana Party)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
PRO-POT PARTY TAKES SCHOOL BOARD, CITY TO COURT
Sign Removal, Ejection From All-Candidates Sessions Infringement Of
Rights, Claim Says
The Marijuana Party of B.C. just can't get any respect in the Fraser
Valley's Bible belt.
The party went to B.C. Supreme Court Friday, saying officials of the
Surrey school board and the City of Abbotsford have infringed on the
rights of its candidates by ripping down the party's signs and banning
its standard-bearers from all-candidates meetings.
In documents filed with the court, the party says municipal employees
in Abbotsford took down the signs of Abbotsford-Mount Lehman candidate
Tim Felger because of their proximity to a local school.
The signs read: "Legalize Marijuana. Prohibition Creates A Sewer Of
Abbotsford. Increasing Crime -- Prostitution -- Violence." And,
"Legalize Marijuana. Only Those With Power Are Allowed To Speak. APD
Bow Your Heads In Shame."
In a letter to Felger, the city said the signs contain "a message that
is offensive to the community."
The party is also upset that candidate Amanda Boggan, who is running
in Surrey-Green Timbers, was invited and then prohibited from
attending an all-candidates meeting at Queen Elizabeth secondary.
When she tried to attend the May 4 meeting, she says she was
intercepted by the superintendent, Harry Whytcliff, who ordered her to
leave the school property immediately. She did.
Another Marijuana party candidate, Neil Magnuson (running in
Surrey-Whalley), also tried to attend the debate and was ordered to
leave as well.
The party says the school board has blocked appearances by its
candidates in Surrey-Whalley, Surrey-Green Timbers, Surrey-Tynehead
and Surrey-Panorama Ridge.
It wants the court to order the school board to abandon immediately
any policy or directive preventing BCMP candidates from attending
future debates.
It wants the court to order Abbotsford to replace the signs or return
them to Felger so he can put them up again.
"The anti-democratic targeting of BCMP candidates and political
material is an affront to our very democracy," said party leader Marc
Emery.
"In the case of the Surrey school board, the targeted exclusion of
BCMP candidates is particularly troubling because of the message of
intolerance it sends to our young people."
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MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFLorida)