Pubdate: Tue, 22 May 2001 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2001 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.vancouversun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Page: B2 Section: Regional Roundup: Port Moody MARIJUANA PARTY TOO FAR RIGHT, SAYS DEFEATED CANDIDATE Citing philisophical differences, Graeme Smecher probably won't run for the B.C Marijuana party again. The candidate for Port Moody-Westwood said too many of his personal beliefs clash with the pot party's policies: "I was expecting a bunch of hippies and what I found was a bunch of right-wing libertarians," said Smecher, 20. "I can't run a platform to my liking without being unfair to them." The Port Moody resident said the basic principle of the Marijuana party is complete personal freedom. That includes legalized brothels, and hardly and gun control. "Some things I find implausible," Smecher said. "I can't see them working in reality. There has to be a balance between personal freedom and safety." A software consultant for a Vancouver dot-com company, Smecher threw his hat into the ring at the last minute just to make sure the fringe party ran a full slate of candidates. He soon found out his left-wing leanings weren't compatible with the conservative/libertarian direction of the Marijuana party. Despite his disagreements, Smecher captured the second highest percentage of votes for the party with 6.36 percent (1,359 votes). "There were only three candidates so I captured more protest votes," Smecher said modestly. Liberal incumbent Christy Clark won the Port Moody-Westwood seat easily with 15,967 votes or 75 per cent of the ballots cast. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens