Pubdate: Thu, 10 Oct 2013
Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/5NyOACet
Website: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531
Author: Ron Seymour

THOUSANDS HAVE SIGNED PETITION, SAY ORGANIZERS

A drive to trigger a referendum on the province's pot laws is right 
on target in terms of its signature-gathering efforts, a local 
spokesman for the campaign says.

About 7,000 people in the three Kelowna-area ridings have signed the 
Sensible BC petition calling for marijuana to be decriminalized, Mark 
Conlin said Wednesday.

The campaign started Sept. 9, and must conclude by Dec. 8, according 
to rules set down by Elections BC. Local organizers aim to collect 
20,000 names by the deadline.

"Things are going pretty good," Conlin said. "We're on target, and 
we're very, very confident we're going to make our goal locally."

The local campaign started with about 100 registered canvassers, most 
of whom are busy collecting names from their family and friends. 
About 140 canvassers are now involved, Conlin said.

There's also one mobile station that sets up at high-profile public 
locations such as downtown Westbank and the corner of Highway 33 and 
Rutland Road.

"We're trying to get a second mobile station up and running, because 
the one we do have is proving to be quite popular," Conlin said. "A 
lot of people see the booth, pull over and sign the petition, and 
then are on their way."

Occasionally, canvassers are confronted by people who don't think 
marijuana decriminalization is a good idea. "We do get that kind of 
stuff, and you would expect it because this is just like any social 
or political campaign," Conlin said.

But it's suggested to canvassers that they not engage in any heated debates.

"We don't have the time for that, nor is this the time for that," he said.

"A full discussion will happen if we are successful in gathering 
enough names to trigger the referendum."

The campaign must collect the signatures of 10 per cent of the 
registered voters in each of the province's 85 electoral ridings.

The provincial directors of Sensible BC are not revealing how the 
signature-gathering effort is going across British Columbia.

Conlin said he's heard the targets have already been reached in some 
Lower Mainland ridings, where population densities are high. But it 
may be more of a challenge to collect the required number of 
signatures in ridings in the large, sparsely populated areas of 
Central and Northern B.C., he says.

"I think what might end up happening is canvassers from areas where 
the target has been met would go up north to help out," Conlin said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom