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Marijuana Party pipes up with election platform

CTV.ca News Staff

The federal Marijuana Party has officially rolled out its election campaign platform. Campaigning under the slogan "Let's Roll," the party has high hopes of putting candidates in 100 ridings across Canada.

About 40 will be running in Quebec ridings, with another 25 candidates vying for seats across Ontario. And seven candidates will be on the slate in the Winnipeg area.

The party won't be represented, however, in P.E.I., Newfoundland or the Northwest Territories.

According to Marijuana Party leader Marc-Boris St-Maurice, 35, his team is running on a single issue -- the legalization of marijuana.

But, he says, his party's narrow platform actually covers a broad range of legitimate government concerns, from finance and justice to international relations and agriculture.

"We are a single-issue party but that issue covers finances, social climate, justice, international relations and agriculture," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"There's hardly any ministry that would not be affected. In fact, I think we should have a Ministry of Marijuana at some point."

In a platform published online, the party outlines a number of marijuana-related goals that includes:

*demonstrating the social advantages to ending cannabis prohibition;
*creating a defence fund for those accused of cannabis-related crimes;
*developing legislation to legalize the drug;
*ensuring access to medical marijuana; and
*pressuring the international community to follow suit.

Mike Foster, the Marijuana Party candidate in Ottawa Centre says he believes that the party has more support than many would like to admit.

"There are more than three million Canadians who smoke (marijuana). I think it's time we all came out of the weed closet and addressed this issue once and for all."

Interestingly, the party does promote one agenda item that's not entirely marijuana-centric. It wants an overhaul of the Canada Elections Act, "to offer solutions to the parliamentary representation deficit."

"We feel we are under the obligation to be critical of any abuses or inequities within our democratic system," the party writes on its website.

"This reform would serve to better interpret election results and distribute power fairly."

When Canadians last went to the polls in 2000, they gave the Marijuana Party 0.5 per cent of the national vote -- more than 66,000 votes.

This year, St-Maurice is planning to run against Paul Martin in the prime minister's Montreal-area riding of LaSalle-Emard.

To help pay for the campaign, party fundraisers are reportedly selling marijuana seeds at a going rate of 10 seeds for $12.

[Suetaznote: Hats off to the Marijuana Party for what they are doing!]

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SevenLeafs

Nice initiative there selling seeds, they'll prove 2 things if at the end they have lots of money (because of the seeds). First, they'll prove that many people support them, and second, that many people want to grow their own stuf!!

Peace.7L

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"A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit"
- Pink Floyd -

Just say KNOW!

smoking_joe_lee

Will this Party be holding a national convention? May friends south of the border attend? We promise we will not try to vote or anything, just observe the 'party' in action. Please???

Suetaz

SJL, are you just trying to weasel your way in to get some Canadian bud? Ok, you can come to the party. I'll give you some John Walters special bud, crack marijuana, it has 40% THC! I'll even let you vote, but you're only allowed to vote for the Marijuana Party at the party. Ya, the title, 'The Marijuana Party' sounds like the title of a good story. We'll have to wait and see how the ending turns out.

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