Pubdate: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Chris Kennedy Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) GROW-OP BILL WILL HURT ECONOMY The provincial government has passed a bill that gives B.C. Hydro the right to report to municipalities the suspicious use of electricity. This will, in effect, allow local fire departments and police to crash down on people that they suspect are using their residences as marijuana grow-ops. Justice will triumph. "Criminals" will be put in jail. Our American friends, who have exerted influence on the government, will be pleased. Fireman and police will build impressive resumes. Our second-largest industry will, well, go up in smoke. The mom and pop grow-op will be no more. They will be in jail, unemployed, or on welfare. Some will go bankrupt. Not only will the government diminish our most notorious industry -- it will create massive social havoc in the one fell swoop. Pot prices will rise. Potheads -- unable to afford the weed -- will turn to crack and crystal meth. More crime will ensue. It seems that our justice system and our policy makers have been hijacked by American interests. Campbell and his cronies have begun a process which will destroy the economy and cause undue strain upon social programs. Just like America! Our province will respond by building more jails and deleting most of the remaining social programs. The corporate and political interests that have driven the bill in no way reflect the interests of the people of British Columbia. Regardless, the government will consider the bill, and its impact, a success. Chris Kennedy Tofino. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman