HEMP MASCOT WEEDED OUT OF PARADE

Headly the Hemp Leaf's first Buffalo Days parade appearance may be his
last after the mascot for a Regina hemp products store was weeded out
of the event.

Tim Selenski, owner of Head to Head Novelties, said he followed all
the rules to be in the annual parade, where he was dressed in a
custom-made, bright green, 3.7-metre-tall outfit that resembles a pot
plant. He said he had the proper permit.

Selenski said he was using the opportunity to advertise his store,
which sells hemp products and medicinal marijuana paraphernalia, and
is an outlet for the Alberta-based Krieger Foundation, which provides
medicinal marijuana to people with proven medical conditions.

"Four blocks we walked (in the parade) and one of the co-ordinators
asked me, he said 'there are too many complaints, please leave,' "
said Selenski, accompanied by two friends driving a car with a hemp
leaf flag in the parade.

The parade was held Saturday and traditionally contains a variety of
entries from community groups and local businesses, ranging from a
Knights of Columbus float to the Hillybilly Vac Shack mascot.

Selenski believes he was asked to leave because of concern that
marijuana, not hemp, was being promoted by his presence in the parade.

Tom Balkwill, one of the parade marshals, said the mascot's presence
was brought to the organizers' attention by two police officers.

"Our information was that it was not hemp, that it was depicting a
marijuana leaf, and we were not in the position to be promoting
marijuana as parade organizers. We made the decision that, no, we did
not wish to have that in the parade," said Balkwill, who added the
police officers said they would take care of the situation.

Balkwill explained businesses given permits to take part in the parade
are trusted to stay within the theme of the event, but do not have to
reveal the exact details of their entry. Marshals try to accommodate
any problems that come up during the parade and, if that fails, the
entry will be removed at the next intersection.

While entries were lining up before the parade began, organizers
believed Selenski's entry was merely the vehicle he was driving. "The
vehicle left at the start of the parade, then, all of the sudden, we
have a mascot. One of the marshals in that area asked the mascot ...
to get back in the car. Being in the car, it didn't appear as if it
was necessarily marijuana," said Balkwill.

Selenski said he left without a fuss. Almost immediately, Selenski
said some Regina police officers approached him and were "pushy,"
demanding he remove the suit before he went any farther, then escorted
him back to his business.

Police spokeswoman Elizabeth Popowich said: "If this person has a
concern about the conduct of any of our members, then what they ought
to do is come and make a complaint, either initially to the watch
commander or to our professional standards section. Or if he is not
comfortable with either of those options, there is the office of the
provincial complaints commissioner."

Though he understands his store is controversial, Selenski is planning
to take to the streets again.

But this time, he'll be prepared for when the suit goes out in public
again.

"I'm going to make a sign that says 'honk for hemp' and also his name
Headly the Hemp Leaf and have 'hemp leaf' underlined with an
exclamation mark so (hemp rather than marijuana) is stressed," said
Selenski.