BOARD WON'T SALUTE HEMP FLAG

A hemp-inspired twist on the Canadian flag has members of Red Deer's
planning commission smouldering after a local store owner hoped to
plant it on the side of his business.

David Elliott, who owns Hemp n' Stuff, planned to mount the 1.5 metre
by three metre flag -- which has a green hemp leaf in place of the
maple leaf -- but was stopped by the city's municipal planning
commission Monday.

"I feel I have the right to make a political statement, but maybe not
the one everyone thinks it is," said Elliott. "Hemp is legal, we have
the product in our store, we grow it locally and I'm trying to promote
it, obviously by attracting attention. "I'm disenfranchised. I feel
like I'm not allowed my voice. I thought on the building I own, the
business I own, trying to promote the Canadian products we sell, I
would have some right to put something on the outside of the building."

But as far as Greg Scott, manager of Red Deer's inspections and
licensing unit, is concerned, Monday's decision will stand.

"The municipal planning commission rules from a municipal perspective.
They have jurisdiction to deal with land use and the sign bylaw is
incorporated as part of our land-use bylaw."

However, he said the planning commission will look into the
possibility of allowing a hemp-inspired flag, but one with green, not
red, bars on the side.

Elliott said to date, he's put out 10,000 images of the flag on
lighters, cigarette packets and other promotion material he sells.

"I haven't had a single phone call as a result and my phone number is
stamped underneath (the flag). If anybody really objected, I think I
would have heard by now."

The commission's rules have proven different to what a federal
government body might rule in the same situation.

Canadian Heritage said "legally they don't have a problem with it, but
they also said it's very important not to deface the Canadian flag,"
said the commission's Scott, adding Red Deer's commission has the
authority to make and enforce its own decisions.

The decision whether to allow the green-barred flag has been put off
until Jan. 6, when the planning commission hopes to have more
information from Heritage Canada on its laws.

Lisa Daum, co-owner of Calgary's Hemporium on 17th Avenue S.W., has
been in business for eight years and also sells images of the altered
Canadian flag.

Inside, the hemp-inspired flag hangs prominently on the store
wall.

"I've had zero hassle with those flags. My canopy, on each side of it
is two giant pot leaves, and that's also not been a problem at all."