Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jan 2001 Source: Grand Forks Gazette (CN BC) Copyright: Sterling Newspapers 2001 Contact: Box 700, 7330 2nd St., Grand Forks, B.C. V0H 1H0 Fax: +1-250-442-3336 Website: http://www.sterlingnews.com/Forks Author: Michael Chouinard TAYLOR LOOKS TO APPEAL POT DECISION The news the Cannabis Research Institute's Brian Taylor got from the federal government was hardly the sort to bring Christmas cheer. On Dec. 22 Health Canada announced that it had awarded a contract to a Saskatoon company, Prairie Plant Systems, to supply marijuana for federal government studies of the plant's medicinal properties. Taylor's Grand Forks company was one of many to submit a bid. The contract is valued at $5,751,250 over a period of five years. The evaluation committee that looked at the bids included members of the Agri-Food Canada, the RCMP, the federal public works department and Health Canada. Prairie Systems will be setting up its operation in an unused mine shaft near the town of Flin Flon, Man. The added security of the underground site, Taylor says, was probably extra incentive for Ottawa to go with the Saskatchewan-based firm, although he adds that his Cannabis Research Institute (CRI) did meet the guidelines for security as set out by Health Canada. The big problem, according to Taylor, was that the federal government expected an enormous financial backup in the form of a performance bond. Specifically, this meant the company could not get the necessary $1-million letter of credit as was required. As evidence, Taylor points to a letter he received via fax dated Dec. 28, from the public works department, which states the company's inability to provide the necessary bond or security deposit was the factor keeping CRI from meeting all of the necessary criteria. "They created a situation where we couldn't get that million-dollar underwriting," says Taylor. If not for this clause, he says his company was well-suited as the marijuana supplier to the federal government. "We had by far the most comprehensive package." As it stands, Taylor is looking into how he can appeal the decision, whether this can be done and who would adjudicate the matter. Taylor is also planning a return to politics with plans to be the leader of the provincial Marijuana Party. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe