ALLIANCE GOING TO POT?

Marijuana Party Expecting Boost From Day Supporters

The organizers of the fledgling Alberta Marijuana Party hope for a sky-high
turnout of Canadian Alliance voters when they hold their founding
convention in the fall.

Key organizer Michael Cust worked on Stockwell Day's Alliance leadership
campaign last year. He believes fellow Alliance supporters will throw their
weight behind the weed in the next provincial election.

"We have four years until the provincial election and I hope when it comes
we will attract a lot of people who vote Canadian Alliance federally," the
21-year-old political science student said.

"Both parties share a commitment to individual freedom and limited
government. There is already common ground with (opposition to) the gun
registry and freedom of choice when it comes to schooling."

And a bit of common ground on drug policy, actually. During the last
federal election campaign, the Alliance toyed with a policy of
decriminalization for possession of small amounts of grass. And Day's
admitted to having smoked the stuff in the wild days of his youth.

Edmonton Strathcona Alliance MP Rahim Jaffer's former aide Matthew Johnston
is now working for the Marijuana Party in B.C. Johnston quit his Alliance
job after he was caught impersonating Jaffer on a radio talk show.

He says the party hopes to tap into Alliance support in Alberta as well.

"There's certainly a bit of a buzz in Alberta," he said. "Maybe not as much
as in B.C., where most people are pro-legalization."

Athabasca Alliance MP Dave Chatters, who had a Marijuana Party opponent at
the last federal election, said pot advocates are living in a hash dream if
they believe his supporters will vote for them provincially.

"Their (federal) candidate was sharp and he turned most questions he was
asked 'round to marijuana, but basically the party was more of a comic
turn," he said.

"Anyone who takes the political process seriously won't be turning to
Marijuana."

University of Alberta political scientist James Lightbody said he could see
why the Marijuana Party might appeal to some Alliance supporters.

"When the Alliance was a real reform party in the prairie populist
tradition it had a similar stance on many issues as the Marijuana Party
has," he said.

"That is, that the individual should have the right to live their life
unfettered by stupid laws, dumb bureaucrats and corrupt politicians."