Pubdate: Mon, 16 Oct 2006
Source: Amherst Daily News (CN NS)
Copyright: Amherst Daily News 2006
Contact:  http://www.amherstdaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3379
Author: Darrell Cole

MACCAN LEGION REOPENS

Interim Management Team Appointed

MACCAN - A besieged legion in rural Cumberland County has been 
allowed to reopen under an appointed management team.

The Maccan legion was closed and its executive disbanded just over a 
week ago by Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command because of its public support 
of the use of marijuana oil to treat numerous ailments.

The legion reopened on Friday and management team spokesperson George 
Theal is hoping it won't take too long before things return to normal.

"We're just so happy to get it open again. It caused quite a 
disruption in the community to have it closed," Theal said last 
night. "I was getting all kinds of phone calls from people asking 
when it would open again and all I could tell them was soon."

Theal and four others have been appointed by provincial command to 
run the legion in the interim with the assistance of two legion 
officers including zone commander Les Nash of Springhill. The legion 
will remain under this management team until further notice. Hours of 
operation are the same as those before the temporary closure.

Dates and time of the next branch general meeting will be sent to 
each member by mail within the next week or so.

Besides the inconvenience of being closed, Theal was growing 
increasingly concerned about the loss of revenues from video lottery 
terminals and from bingo, which raises money for community organizations.

"I was afraid that the longer we stayed closed the more likely the 
government would come in and remove our machines," Theal said. "We 
also lost two bingos and that represents a lot of money we give back 
to the community."

Looking back at the controversy that resulted in its temporary 
closure, Theal doesn't disagree with hemp oil advocates Rick Dwyer 
and Rick Simpson. He just doesn't think they should have used the legion name.

"I have nothing against the hemp oil, they just can't use the legion 
name to support it," he said. "Even guys on provincial command think 
the stuff works, it's just using the legion name to support it that 
caused the trouble."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine