I'M INNOCENT, SAYS AIDE

B.C. Minister's Assistant Takes To Airwaves To Deny Drug Trafficking Charge

The B.C. ministerial assistant charged by Victoria Police with trafficking
crystal methamphetamine took to the airwaves Saturday to declare his innocence.

Marshall Smith, who was arrested with another man Thursday in Victoria's
Chinatown area, denied any wrongdoing in an exclusive interview with CTV
News reporter Ed Watson.

"I wanted to first say that the charges that the police are alleging are
not true,'' Smith said. "There was no trafficking activity going on in my
car whatsoever and, as a matter of fact, there was no, no narcotics found
on my person whatsoever.

"Those (charges) are unfounded and I have absolutely every reason in the
world to believe that I'll be cleared of those charges.''

Smith, who was on paid leave from his provincial government job at the time
of the arrest, did admit to being a recovering addict himself.

But he said he is now "clean" and that there is no connection between his
own recovery and last Thursday's arrest.

Through an intermediary, Smith denied a request to be interviewed directly
by the Times Colonist.

The 31-year-old, dressed in a black sweater vest and white shirt, said he
came forward to CTV to deal with unanswered questions and to defend himself
after charges were laid against both him and the other man arrested.

Victoria Police Const. Rick Anthony said two plainclothes police officers
were doing routine surveillance when they spotted a man -- not Smith --
they believed to be a drug user.

The man approached a car that had pulled up to the side of the street and
got inside. The officers followed the vehicle and pulled it over. Police
said they found a quantity of crystal methamphetamine as well as a small
sum of money when they searched the car.

Smith, alleged to be the driver of the car that pulled over, is charged
with trafficking a controlled substance. But Smith told CTV he was merely
picking up a family friend when the arrest occurred near the intersection
of Fisgard and Government streets.

Also arrested was Craig Powell, 20, who has been charged with possession of
a controlled substance -- crystal methamphetamine.

"He's, in fact, not just some random person picked up off the sidewalk,''
Smith said. "He lives here (in Victoria) with me. I'm supervising him while
he's on bail and providing surety and an address for him. We've known each
other for some time and he's been a family friend. He called me to come
down and pick him up and that's what I did. After I arrived, the rest is
obvious.''

Smith told CTV his own drug addiction started when he began using diet
pills in an attempt to lose weight.

"After alcohol, I found amphetamines helped that,'' he said. "Wrongly, I
now know.

"What's important to know is that what started out as a seemingly innocent
diet turned into a real nightmarish addiction. That's important for not
only me to recognize but I think people out there to understand as well."

Smith said he's "not there yet in beating this addiction.

"I am clean now and we'll see how it goes. Addiction is a cunning thing.
It's not easy to beat and clearly it crosses all socio-economic and
political boundaries.

"There are thousands and thousands of people out there who have the same
issues, who battle with the same things day in and day out. The names may
change but the stories stay the same.''

Smith stressed that his addiction has nothing to do with charges which he
said have been laid against him mistakenly.

"Innocent mistakes happen and I think police will find that's what happened
in this case," he said.

Smith has spent 14 years in the public service and said Saturday he hopes
one day to return. At the time of his arrest he had been on paid leave for
about three weeks, but government spokesman Andy Orr said Friday that Smith
is now suspended without pay.

Smith was appointed ministerial assistant to Ted Nebbeling, minister of
state for the community charter, after the Liberal government took power in
2001.

After Nebbeling was removed from cabinet in January, Smith was the
assistant to Gulzar Cheema, who was minister of state for immigration and
multicultural services until he left earlier this year to run for the
federal Liberals.

"I don't have anything to apologize for about the arrest,'' Smith said.
"I've been clear about my position on that ... As far as the addiction
issues and matters surrounding addiction behaviour with my colleagues, I
want to sincerely apologize to them for any hurt that I've caused them at all.''