Pubdate: Thu, 02 Jan 2014
Source: Rocky Mountain Goat News, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 The Rocky Mountain Goat
Contact:  http://www.therockymountaingoat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5461
Author: Korie Marshall
Cited: Sensible BC: http://www.sensiblebc.ca

SENSIBLE B.C. FALLS SHORT, FOR NOW

Over 200,000 signatures were gathered in BC for the push to 
decriminalize marijuana. It wasn't enough to force a public vote, but 
it isn't the end of the road for Sensible BC's push for marijuana law reform.

According to the final tallies from Sensible BC, the required 10 per 
cent of registered voters signed the petition in 20 of the province's 
85 electoral districts, with over five per cent signing in 28 more 
districts. Sensible BC was aiming for 400,000 signatures, and 
estimated they required 300,000.

Chad Moats, a regional organizer of the campaign in Prince George 
says 2,120 signatures were gathered in the Prince George-Valemount 
district, about six percent of the registered voters. John Grogan, 
who helped organize canvassers from Dome Creek to Valemount, says "I 
am confident we reached a 15 per cent threshold here in the Robson Valley."

"202,037 signatures is a remarkable achievement. We can be proud of 
our accomplishment," said Dana White, Director of Sensible BC, in a 
message to canvassers. He says that represents almost 12 per cent of 
the votes cast in the 2013 BC election, and if BC had the same 
referendum rules as Washington and Colorado, two states which 
recently legalized marijuana, that would have been enough. He points 
out BC's rules are much more challenging, saying no other referendum 
system in the world requires 85 different forms for collecting 
signatures, or has such a short time period to collect them.

Larsen says the BC government can still call a vote on the issue, and 
should, as polls consistently show about 70 per cent of British 
Columbians want some form of decriminalization or legalization of 
marijuana. He says 200,000 signatures represent a mandate for the 
government to take action on the issue. Larsen also says the BC 
government should have delegations in Washington and Colorado now, 
studying their move towards legalization and the impacts that will 
have on BC's economy.

The Sensible Policing Act, Sensible BC's proposed legislation, would 
decriminalize simple possession of marijuana by adults and require 
the provincial government to work towards legalization of marijuana in BC.

Larsen says Sensible BC will be going to court over the coming months 
with several organizations he alleges harassed canvassers, to affirm 
the rights of canvassers to collect signatures for this and other 
causes. He says they will also be launching another 
signature-gathering campaign, and will be working over the next few 
weeks to what was done well and what can be done better.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom