LARRY CAMPBELL SHRUGS OFF HARPER'S CRITICISM

Outgoing Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell is shrugging off Stephen
Harper's suggestions that city voters rejected Campbell's drug
policies, noting the Tory leader would be lucky to be as popular as
Campbell.

"If Mr. Harper had my ratings when I decided not to run again, he
would be prime minister," Campbell told The Province from Hong Kong
where he is on an official federal government visit.

"I can't be insulted by someone as ignorant as Stephen
Harper."

After one term as mayor, Campbell ruled out a run for
re-election.

He was then appointed to the Senate where he sits as a
Liberal.

Harper, unveiling an anti-crime plan with measures aimed at the drug
trade, slammed Campbell over the weekend suggesting voters had judged
Campbell's party harshly in the civic election. Vision Vancouver
mayoralty candidate Jim Green was defeated, but Campbell noted the
party elected four of five candidates it ran.

Harper also took issue with Campbell's comments in a recent forum that
the so-called crystal-meth crisis is "garbage."

Campbell said he would be glad to stack his 29-years of experience as
a Mountie, coroner and mayor dealing with drugs against Harper's
experience on the subject.