MARIJUANA PARTY ENTERS EAST KOOTENAY ELECTION RACE

A Marijuana Party candidate has joined the election race in the East
Kootenay. He is Elkford resident Fred Sima, 44, a former equipment
operator at the Green Hills Mine in the Elk Valley until he injured
his back in 1992.

Sima said he can no longer do heavy work and has lived off investments
since injuring his back at the mine. He also faces charges of
marijuana possession and trafficking with a court appearance scheduled
for May 17, the day after the election.

"I'm a victim of the drug wars. I've got charges against me and last
year my home was invaded (by police) even though I was only growing
marijuana for myself," he said.

Sima said he uses marijuana for "recreational purposes" and to provide
therapeutic relief for insomnia, depression and back pain.

Despite this, Sima said he believes he is a viable candidate, running
on a platform that has more appeal than just legalizing pot.

"We're not a one-issue party, not at all. We have many policies in our
platform other than getting the message out to legalize marijuana," he
said.

Sima said the Marijuana Party favours the use of province-wide
referendums on sensitive issues such as the legalizing of pot. It also
favours allowing private insurance companies to compete with ICBC, an
educational voucher system so parents can send their children to the
school of their choice and the removal of restrictions on alternative
therapies and certain medicinal herbs.

"If a herbal substance works for someone, why shouldn't they be
allowed to use it?"

Sima said the Marijuana Party also favours decentralizing the B.C.
forest industry to allow more locally-owned operators to compete. He
said the party would also like to end street prostitution by setting
up licensed brothels.

Sima said he's not running a big campaign because he's paying for his
effort out of his own pocket with a little bit of help from party
headquarters. Nevertheless he's only the third official candidate in
the East Kootenay race because B.C. Unity Party candidate Bruce Parke
still didn't have his papers filed by noon Tuesday.

"I'm running out of my own pocket, but I have a few signs and I should
have some TV cable ads on soon," he said.

Sima said he plans on participating in all candidate debates,
including any that are held in Cranbrook. He said he has more support
than what some people may think because some of his supporters are
reluctant to go public about their support for marijuana legalization.