Pubdate: Mon, 02 Apr 2001
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.vancouversun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Ian Mulgrew

MARIJUANA PARTY PREPARED TO LIGHT UP POLITICAL SCENE

When was the last time there were 79 candidates for a new party in this 
province, marijuana advocate asks

Steve Bosch, Vancouver Sun / B.C. Marijuana Party president Marc Emery, 
outside East Hastings headquarters, says the party is on target to field a 
full slate.

Brian Taylor, the 55-year-old former Grand Forks mayor now leading the B.C. 
Marijuana Party, says his candidates and platform will surprise provincial 
voters.

What began four years ago as a loose friendship of people under the 
umbrella of the Canadian Cannabis Coalition last year transmogrified into a 
bona fide political party. Since then, from the dreadlocked stereotype 
emitting a cloud of narcotic smoke to the sober senior seeking medical 
relief, Taylor says the pot party has attracted all kinds.

Marc Emery, former scourge of Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen for operating the 
Cannabis Cafe and Hemp B.C., is the catalyst of the movement to move the 
counter-culture above ground.

"I was wondering when you guys would notice us rather than that 
non-existent party, Unity B.C.," Emery quipped when I gave him a call. 
"When is the last time there were 79 candidates for a new party in this 
province?"

The party ran candidates in November's federal election and Emery was a 
wonderful performer at all-candidates meetings, embarrassing mainstream 
politicians with his well-delivered message of personal responsibility and 
entrepreneurial drive.

He got about 1,000 votes, and I bet, given Liberal Hedy Fry's recent 
performance, a lot more Vancouver Centre voters wish they'd given Emery a 
chance.

A week ago, the party announced its entry into the provincial arena with a 
series of full-page newspaper advertisements. Already, it has 65 nominated 
candidates -- each of whom lives in the riding they're contesting.

"We have candidates available to be parachuted in if, for example, we can't 
find someone in an extreme northern riding, but we're on target to field a 
full slate of 79," party president Emery said proudly.

A former Ontario bookseller, the 43-year-old today is the wealthy publisher 
of Cannabis Culture magazine, producer of the Internet-based Pot TV and a 
distributor of marijuana seeds through his company Marc Emery Direct. He's 
turned to politics because of the persecution and suppression of civil 
rights in the name of the Drug War. That concern motivates the majority of 
the candidates -- not all of whom are promoting pot smoking, in spite of 
RCMP fear-mongering.

Taylor, born in Oliver in 1946, is a good example. His father Jim managed 
fruit-packing plants in Keremeos and Kelowna and in the '60s was a lay 
magistrate. He spent 30 years working with non-profit societies that 
provide services to challenged and disadvantaged children.

Taylor founded the Grand Forks Cannabis Research Institute Inc. in 1997 and 
is the chief executive officer of the firm that supplies a wide range of 
medicinal marijuana products.

"Marijuana prohibition has dramatically affected my life," he said. "It has 
at times negatively affected my relationship to my children, it has 
restricted my travel, I have suffered discrimination and it has made me 
feel like a criminal in my own country.

"Members of my immediate family have been denied access to medical 
marijuana by the continuing inaction of the federal government. Ending this 
insanity is a very personal battle. I see first-hand the social and 
economic destruction caused by prohibition in my community ... ."

Taylor said the party does have an image problem but he's hoping the slate 
of credible candidates such as Mavis Becker will help change that.

Becker, a grandmother who ran unsuccessfully federally, is contesting the 
provincial riding of Langley, campaigning with her octogenarian parents. 
The 58-year-old believes the money spent on the drug war could be better 
spent on education and health care.

"It's always easy to find somebody [who supports the party] who doesn't get 
it, who'll blow smoke at the TV camera or give them the finger," he said. 
"That's why my big message with everyone on the campaign is be dignified."

And, dare I say it, the party has high hopes. With the prevailing 
anybody-but-a-New Democrat mood among voters, the three would-be serious 
parties -- the Greens, the conservative Unity Party and the Marijuana Party 
- -- each want to be included in the televised leaders' debate.

Participating in the debate is key, since such exposure can provide enough 
momentum to make a huge difference in the results --as witness Gordon 
(Flip) Wilson's performance in 1991 that catapulted him and the Liberals 
into the legislature.

But there are 34 registered parties in the province, so there have to be 
qualifying criteria. Emery thinks they'll make the cut.

"I don't see why we wouldn't get an invitation," Emery said. "One of the 
reasons for fielding 79 candidates is because I would assume we would then 
automatically qualify for that debate --otherwise who would care about a 
debate between Gordon Campbell and Ujjal Dosanjh: one's guaranteed to win 
and one's guaranteed to lose. There's no suspense to that debate."

Add the others, though, and I think it could be an entertaining free-for-all.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D