LEADER OF MARIJUANA PARTY IN COURT TO FACE CHARGE OF - WHAT ELSE? - POSSESSION

Marc-Boris St-Maurice, leader of the federal Marijuana Party, appear
today in a Montreal court charged with (what else?) possession of marijuana.

The charges stem from a March 1 incident in which Mr. St-Maurice
allegedly lit up a joint at Chez Marijane, the party's provincial
headquarters and an illegal pot cafe.

"When it happened, I was feeling like it gets hard day in and day out
to keep up the fight and I was wondering where I was going to get the
gumption and when they busted me, it was almost a blessing in
disguise," he said.

This is at least the seventh marijuana charge Mr. St-Maurice, who is
running against Prime Minister Paul Martin, has faced. He is
optimistic of his legal hopes. Representing himself, he plans to argue
a Charter challenge of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.