Pubdate: Fri, 23 Mar 2001
Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 The Chilliwack Progress
Contact:  45860 Spadina Ave., Chilliwack, BC, Canada V2P 6H9
Fax: (604) 792-4436
Feedback: http://www.theprogress.com/contactus.shtml
Website: http://www.theprogress.com/
Author: Robert Freeman, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjparty.htm (Canadian Marijuana Party)

POT PARTY HOPEFUL DOESN'T SMOKE IT

David Ferguson, a member of the Agassiz-Harrison Chamber of Commerce, is 
running for provincial election under the  B.C. Marijuana Party banner.

The 53-year-old health-food store owner says he doesn't smoke marijuana, 
has been married to the same woman for 30 years and has two grown children 
and two grandchildren.

"I'm a stable guy," he says. "I don't smoke marijuana."

"But I do eat hemp seeds every day," he adds.

Mr. Ferguson, a "practitioner of alternative medicine" says he has a Doctor 
of Divinity degree from the American Institute of Holistic Theology, and is 
a member of the West Coast Homeopathic Society and the Canadian Society of 
Questers, who use divining rods to search for water sources.

He says hemp seeds are "the best source of protein" and that the plant, 
which can now be grown legally in Canada, could be used as an inexpensive 
alternative fuel to power cars and local greenhouses.

Mr. Ferguson has been in the health-food business for eight years, and has 
two stores in Agassiz and Hope. He lives in  Harrison Hot Springs.

"I'm a very free-enterprise person," he says. "I think I'm more of a 
free-enterpriser than the Liberals."

Incumbent B.C. Liberal MLA Barry Penner, another ardent free-enterpriser, 
will be Mr. Ferguson's opponent in the Chilliwack-Kent riding. The NDP 
candidate in the riding is Malcolm James. In the Chilliwack-Sumas riding 
there are now three announced candidates, Christine Muise for the NDP, Norm 
Siefkin for the B.C. Marijuana Party and John Les for the B.C. Liberals.

Mr. Ferguson says the B.C. Marijuana Party also has policies on a broad 
range of issues, and could still be viable  political entity even if the 
Supreme Court of Canada legalizes marijuana because its focus is getting 
government out of the personal lives of citizens.

He also says he favors a school "voucher system" which would allow parents 
to send their children to any school they  wish, including private and 
religious schools.

"We're very strong on freedom of religion," he says.
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MAP posted-by: GD