MARIJUANA PARTY PLANS TO RUN CANDIDATES IN B.C. ELECTION

VICTORIA (CP) - A Victoria realtor has another big sales pitch planned for
the new year that has nothing to do with a big house and an attractive
commission.

Chuck Beyer, encouraged by his fledgling Marijuana party's performance in
the recent federal election, has even higher hopes for the B.C. election
that must be held by June.

"We managed to get 75 candidates together in the federal election in four
months and I don't think we'll have any problem doing the same in B.C.,"
said Beyer, who founded the party five months ago.

The Marijuana party outpolled the well-established Green party in several
ridings, although neither party is considered a serious contender.

But Beyer, 40, believes there is room on the political stage to keep
attention on decriminalizing marijuana.

"We feel the NDP is going to be wiped out completely and all the rest are
ultra-right wing parties so we're going to take the middle ground," he said.

Although Canada's drug laws are a federal matter, Beyer believes the
provinces can influence how stringently the laws are enforced.

B.C. Attorney General Graeme Bowbrick has not commented on pot
decriminalization and isn't expected to do so, a ministry spokesman said
this week.

Liberal justice critic Geoff Plant said it's not likely the Marijuana
party's appearance on the provincial scene will make marijuana
decriminalization an issue.