Pubdate: Tue, 08 Oct 2002
Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Hacker Press Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.abbynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155
Author: Russ Akins
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjparty.htm (Canadian Marijuana Party)

FELGER'S SIGNS DISMAY PARENTS

Tim Felger's Marijuana Party has started its civic campaign early -- much 
to the dismay of parents at an Abbotsford elementary school.

Leslie Bowling has two children attending Abbotsford elementary.

Yesterday morning, she was shocked to see one of Tim Felger's campaign 
signs promoting the Marijuana Party posted on the school's fence.

School District 34 policy forbids election signs posted on school property.

"We're fighting for safe schools, for drug free schools," Bowling told the 
Abbotsford News.

"There's been drug busts in the neighbourhood, grow-ops.

The sign was removed and given to the principal.

Felger, who will run against George Ferguson as mayor, told the Abbotsford 
News: "I don't give a s--t about the bylaw. I have a Charter of Rights -- 
go ahead and arrest me." This is the second time there has been problems 
with his signs put up too early. He said those opposing his signs are 
"ignorant and uneducated" on drug war and prohibition issues.

If his signs come down, he vows to put them up again.

"I have two crews working six hours a day, Saturday and Sunday, for the 
next eight weeks. They're putting up signs and passing out flyers," Felger 
said.

"I plan to be as loud and as boisterous as I can. This could be the most 
important election of the millennium," he said, adding as mayor he would 
promise to stop SE2, and establish legal brothels and free heroin injection 
sites.

As well, he would scrap a controversial bylaw that empowers the city to 
charge landlords for the costs of removing marijuana grow ops.

"George Ferguson has let this town degenerate into a prohibition-style 
ghetto," he said.

Mary Beth MacKenzie, city manager of legislative services, said signs such 
as Felger's, posted more than 30 days before the date of the elections, 
will be removed under city signs bylaws.

Signs can be posted on private property with the permission of the owner, 
and on public property as long as they don't interfere with traffic or 
pedestrian visibility, or regulatory signs.

School District 34 policy as posted in its Web site says political 
advertising materials may not be distributed in schools or on school grounds.

Board chairman John Smith told the Abbotsford News that campaign signs are 
"absolutely prohibited" from school property, and there are no exceptions 
to that rule.

"Principals will ensure that," he said.

"We want our schools to be absolutely apolitical."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager