COUNCILLOR FUMING OVER NEW POT CAFE

MONTREAL - Marijuana activists are heading for a showdown with
Montreal police over the opening of pot cafe at the new Bloc Pot
headquarters on Rachel Street.

Indeed, the city councillor for the borough of Plateau Mont Royal,
Nicolas Tetrault, is warning marijuana activists that police will
intervene if people are caught smoking pot at the new cafe.

Marijuana activists said they set up the cafe to give pot smokers a
welcoming place to light up. They won't sell the drug-customers will
have to bring their own.

The cafe will be in the new Bloc Pot headquarters, and patrons will be
asked to pay a small amount to become a member of the party before
they're allowed in.

The head of the Marijuana Party of Canada, Boris St. Maurice, said it
will be hard for police to stop people from smoking up.

"When you go the route of a political party, you have far more
flexibility in how you can run your operation," said St. Maurice.
"Again, municipal bylaws and moratoriums... it's very hard to apply to
a political party. "

But Tetrault said the party doesn't even have a permit to sell cake or
coffee, and he's asked police to arrest anyone caught breaking the
law.

"The bottom line is the drug policy will be enforced, and it's zero
tolerance for drugs in my borough, and all the laws will be applied by
the police of the city of Montreal, period," said Tetrault.

More than a 100 marijuana activists are expected to come out to the
Saturday opening.

St. Maurice said if they're arrested, his party will challenge the
charges in court.