Pubdate: Fri, 20 May 2005
Source: Peace Arch News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Peace Arch News
Contact:  http://www.peacearchnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1333
Author: Sheila Reynolds
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

MARIJUANA PARTY LAUNCHES LAWSUIT

The pot party is taking Surrey School Board to court.

The B.C. Marijuana Party is suing the board for barring its candidates from 
participating in high school all-candidate meetings.

"We feel the targeted exclusion of the B.C. Marijuana Party is 
anti-democratic. We think it sends a bad message to students and we think 
it violates the Charter (of Rights)," campaign manager Kirk Tousaw said.

The suit was filed in B.C. Supreme Court May 13.

In light of the litigation, the district would not comment, but Doug 
Strachan said two weeks ago Marijuana Party candidates were initially 
allowed to attend school debates, but had to be excluded after a candidate 
distributed material promoting pot use after a meeting at Fraser Heights 
Secondary.

While acknowledging the importance of various parties and diverse views, 
Strachan said the district "can't condone the promotion of them (students) 
taking an illegal substance."

Tousaw said the party will seek direction, either from legislature, 
Elections B.C. or the courts, as to what process should determine who can 
participate in all-candidates' debates.

In the televised leadership debate, for example, there was some contention 
around who was invited. The Democratic Reform Party argued it should be 
included because it has a member in the legislature, while BCMP also 
thought it should be included because it ran candidates in 79 ridings last 
election and landed 3.4 per cent of the popular vote.

"There probably can't be anything that has force of law," Tousaw said, "but 
there ought to be some kind of advisory guidelines out there that have some 
sort of provision for getting more voices heard.

"In a democracy it's...important to hear different opinions."
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MAP posted-by: Beth