Pubdate: Wed, 18 Dec 2013
Source: Northern View, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 The Northern View
Contact:  http://www.thenorthernview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4366
Author: Martina Perry
Cited: Sensible BC: http://www.sensiblebc.ca/

RIDING MEETS POT PETITION GOAL

While a campaign aiming to decriminalize the possession of marijuana
didn't get enough support province-wide to force a referendum, there
were enough North Coast voters who agreed pot possession shouldn't be
a crime.

Trevor Kayzer, Sensible BC's North Coast coordinator, said more than
1,700 signatures were collected in the riding, which consists of
Prince Rupert, Port Edward, Haida Gwaii, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.

"We didn't make [our goal of] 15 per cent, but we made 10 per cent
plus a few hundred for cushion," he said.

There were 32 canvassers registered to collect signatures on the North
Coast, with Kayzer saying about a dozen did most of the work including
six people on Haida Gwaii who collected approximately 400 signatures.

While at the beginning of the 90-day signing period North Coast
signatures were coming in slowly, Kayzer said he was confident all
along the riding could reach the needed amount.

"We could see it was possible. The biggest surprise I had was the
number of people saying they wouldn't sign because they feared they
would lose their job. That was pretty sad," Kayzer said.

"I really appreciate the support Prince Rupert and the North Coast
gave us. It's great to see people exercise their democratic rights,
which is why I was disappointed to see people who were afraid to."

The campaign's website states that Sensible BC will be launching
another signature-gathering campaign in the "not-to-distant future".

"I'm sad we didn't do it overall in B.C., but it sounds as if Dana's
going to go at it again so we'll have another kick at it," Kayzer said.

The Sensible BC campaign proposed an amendment to the BC Legislature
Police Act, instructing police not to spend any resources, money or
time on cases of marijuana possession. To make the amendment, the
campaign needed to force a referendum on the subject with a signature
petition.

Sensible BC needed to collect 300,000 signatures, or ten per cent of
constituents in each of British Columbia's 85 ridings, to force a
referendum. Overall, the campaign got 210,000 signatures, which is two
thirds of what was needed.
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MAP posted-by: Matt