T
The420Guy
Guest
In the stale air of politics, Vern Falk is a breath of sweet-smelling smoke.
"Bear with me," he says, sticking out his left hand in an introduction.
Bending his knuckles into a hook, he locks them to an outstretched hand.
"It's the Mayan handshake. What do you think?"
Falk will introduce himself to voters as the Kamloops-North Thompson
candidate for the B.C. Marijuana Party in the coming provincial election
against Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger and NDP candidate Dwayne Hartle.
"I think people will take me very seriously," he said. "I have roots in the
community and know lots of people in the community."
The 50-year-old construction and demolition worker said he found the party
through travels on the Internet.
He is in the midst of gathering signatures needed to satisfy Elections B.C.
requirements to become a candidate and will attend a party conference in
Vancouver on the weekend.
"I just wanted to get the platform out there," he said.
"There needs to be an alternative. There's credible people in the party.
Some have run federally for the NDP in past. The leader, Brian Taylor, was
mayor of Grand Forks."
B.C. Marijuana Party policies include passing on savings from reduced
prison and
policing costs from legalized marijuana by cutting taxes; citizen-led
referenda; a voucher system for schools and legalizing licensed brothels.
Falk said his main focus in the campaign will be on the theme of personal
freedoms.
"If people want to (smoke pot) it's up to them. That's not my focus. It's
the personal freedom part."
Falk said 70,000 people in B.C. smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes and
they are branded criminals. He also said the justice system wastes millions
of dollars a year policing and prosecuting marijuana cases.
He said he favours decriminalization of marijuana as a start. He also
believes people should be allowed to grow pot plants like they would any
produce.
"Five to six per cent of people are addicted to anything, gambling or
drugs. Some people smoke pot. Some don't. It should be their choice whether
they do it."
The Marijuana Party, which has yet to attract a potential candidate in the
Kamloops riding, hopes to field a candidate in each of B.C.'s 79
constituencies.
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: March 20, 2001
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Contact: kamnews@ocis.net
Address: 393 Seymour Street, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 6P6
Fax: (250) 372-0823
Website: https://www.southam.com/kamloopsdailynews/
"Bear with me," he says, sticking out his left hand in an introduction.
Bending his knuckles into a hook, he locks them to an outstretched hand.
"It's the Mayan handshake. What do you think?"
Falk will introduce himself to voters as the Kamloops-North Thompson
candidate for the B.C. Marijuana Party in the coming provincial election
against Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger and NDP candidate Dwayne Hartle.
"I think people will take me very seriously," he said. "I have roots in the
community and know lots of people in the community."
The 50-year-old construction and demolition worker said he found the party
through travels on the Internet.
He is in the midst of gathering signatures needed to satisfy Elections B.C.
requirements to become a candidate and will attend a party conference in
Vancouver on the weekend.
"I just wanted to get the platform out there," he said.
"There needs to be an alternative. There's credible people in the party.
Some have run federally for the NDP in past. The leader, Brian Taylor, was
mayor of Grand Forks."
B.C. Marijuana Party policies include passing on savings from reduced
prison and
policing costs from legalized marijuana by cutting taxes; citizen-led
referenda; a voucher system for schools and legalizing licensed brothels.
Falk said his main focus in the campaign will be on the theme of personal
freedoms.
"If people want to (smoke pot) it's up to them. That's not my focus. It's
the personal freedom part."
Falk said 70,000 people in B.C. smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes and
they are branded criminals. He also said the justice system wastes millions
of dollars a year policing and prosecuting marijuana cases.
He said he favours decriminalization of marijuana as a start. He also
believes people should be allowed to grow pot plants like they would any
produce.
"Five to six per cent of people are addicted to anything, gambling or
drugs. Some people smoke pot. Some don't. It should be their choice whether
they do it."
The Marijuana Party, which has yet to attract a potential candidate in the
Kamloops riding, hopes to field a candidate in each of B.C.'s 79
constituencies.
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: March 20, 2001
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Contact: kamnews@ocis.net
Address: 393 Seymour Street, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 6P6
Fax: (250) 372-0823
Website: https://www.southam.com/kamloopsdailynews/
