Pubdate: Wed, 04 May 2005
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Author: Ted Colley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Briere (Don Briere)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?196 (Emery, Marc)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

JAILBIRD RUNS FOR OFFICE

A prison inmate is after Liberal MLA Dave Hayer's job.

Don Briere, 54, is locked up in Abbotsford's Pacific Institution on a drug 
trafficking charge. He's also the B.C. Marijuana Party's candidate in 
Surrey-Tynehead.

"I believe this is a British Columbia first," said Marijuana Party leader 
Marc Emery.

"I've been arrested 20 times on drug charges and put in jail 15 times, so I 
think I hold the record for prison time served by a candidate, but Don is 
doing well using my example."

Briere was charged with trafficking in marijuana last September when police 
shut down Vancouver's Da Kine smoke shop for selling the drug. Briere 
founded the Canadian Sanctuary Society, a non-profit organization that 
advocates the legalization of marijuana and supplying pot for medical use.

Briere was charged with supplying Da Kine through the society and released 
on bail. When he allegedly continued to supply the cafe, he was arrested. 
"They're going to keep him in jail until his trial," sometime later this 
year, Emery said.

Briere has been in prison before. In 2001, he began serving a four-year 
sentence after pleading guilty to growing marijuana, money laundering and 
weapons charges.

Emery agreed there's virtually no chance Briere will be elected on May 17.

Elsewhere, Emery is running in Fort Langley-Aldergrove against Solicitor 
General Rich Coleman and said he fantasizes about knocking off B.C.'s top 
cop. "He's our Darth Vader. Some people fantasize about Pamela Anderson, 
some people about Shania Twain. For me, it's seeing Rich Coleman defeated."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom