MARIJUANA PARTY CANDIDATE OWES $13M: TAXMAN

Marijuana Party Candidate Owes $1.3M: Taxman B.C. Man Awaiting
Sentencing For Drug Dealing Is In More Hot Water: Revenue Canada In
Pursuit

VANCOUVER - Don Briere, a candidate for the B.C. Marijuana Party in
the provincial election, is being pursued by Revenue Canada for
$1.3-million in unpaid taxes -- and will soon be sentenced for
weapons offences and drug dealing.

Among the evidence seized by police in a lengthy undercover
investigation of the candidate are 260,000 rounds of ammunition and
several weapons, including a 9mm machine gun.

Briere remains under investigation by the RCMP's proceeds of crime
unit, which alleges he used drug money to amass more than
$1.5-million in assets.

Revenue Canada believes Briere may get rid of those assets. The
government department went to court recently seeking an order that
would stop him from divesting himself of property and cash until the
tax bill is cleared up.

A police report states that when Briere was arrested outside a Surrey
warehouse where drugs and weapons were seized, he explained to an
officer why he was involved in crime.

"He grew pot as he could not find a job ... He stated that he was not
a killer, or a rapist, he did not consider himself a hardened
criminal, he was only a pot grower ... The reason he turned to crime
was because he could not find an honest job to take care of his
family, if he could find a job that paid a decent wage, he would
never sell pot," the police report stated.

Yesterday, Briere said if his party were in power his crimes wouldn't
be crimes.

"I'm just trying to be an honest, hard-working Canadian," he said.

He said he knew his candidacy would thrust him into the public eye,
and was aware his legal problems might surface during the campaign.
But he decided to run anyway because he desperately wants to see the
use of marijuana legalized in Canada.

"I'm not really doing it for myself, I'm doing it for my kids," he
said of his candidacy.

Briere, 51, acknowledged he has entered guilty pleas to a raft of
drug and weapons charges, and said Revenue Canada's claim against him
is on the court record.

"I'm not really allowed to comment," he said. "I can tell you this:
It's been two years and it's taken a huge toll."

His election platform calls for "accountability of elected officials
... [and] lower taxes."

In his candidate's profile, Briere says he has worked in the "forest
industry, construction and the hospitality field and is now involved
with Hemp Scientific."

But court documents show the RCMP did a thorough check of his
employment record over the past several years and could find no
possible source of income other than his drug operation.

Among those involved with him, allege police, was another Marijuana
party candidate, Mavis Becker, a grandmother who is described as
being "a head picker" who harvested marijuana for him.

Mrs. Becker denied being involved in Briere's illegal drug activities.

She knew he pleaded guilty to several drug charges, but said she
didn't know about the weapons offences.

Mrs. Becker confirmed her common-law husband, James Empey, worked for
Briere, but said he didn't know what kind of business it was.

A police search warrant claims: "Empey was a runner for Briere. He
would deliver items such as baby plants, soil, nutrients, lights or
other items to the grow houses."

Briere was charged with six counts of production of cannabis, seven
counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of
trafficking, four counts of unsafe storage of firearms and
ammunition, three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, and one
count of possession of a prohibited weapon. He pleaded guilty and is
to be sentenced a week after the May 16 election.

An affidavit filed by Corporal John Ibbotson, of the RCMP's Proceeds
of Crime section, accuses Briere of laundering property and money.

In January, 1999, police undercover agents heard Briere talking with
an unidentified couple in a pub.

"All three were talking about Income Tax claims. Briere stated he has
only been claiming $62,000 for himself and he uses his wife as a
dependent. He also claims rental revenue for his property. He stated
how proud he is of himself that he hasn't been caught," says a police
surveillance report.

"Briere stated that he likes to hire people on welfare who don't
drink or smoke. Usually elderly females. They will live in small
plain homes. They get set up for life. They are more reliable."

The RCMP later searched several locations and found they were
marijuana growing operations. In one warehouse, they found $200,000
worth of equipment for growing marijuana indoors, 104 plants and 250
pounds of dry marijuana that was in the process of being packaged.
They arrested Briere and four other men outside the warehouse.

Police said Briere told an officer that "pot should be legal, taxed
and controlled," and that he declared $60,000 income the previous
year.

"This income was not legitimate and he just made up that figure," the
police report alleges. "He made $200,000 last year growing pot."

In a later search of Briere's home police found $221,920 in Canadian
cash and $37,130 in U.S. currency.