PENHOLD POT PLANS MAY GO UP IN SMOKE

Alberta's chances of starting a multi-billion-dollar, legal
dope-growing business are about to go up in smoke, according to an
Innisfail businessman who says he will likely have to take his vision
to Nova Scotia.

After months of trying to secure growing space in the unused 77,000
square-foot Cold war-era "Diefenbunker" bomb shelter near Red Deer,
Loren Wiberg is no closer to convincing the federal government
officials his plan is sound but said he has been welcomed with open
arms by the owners of a similar bunker on the East Coast.

"Our number one goal is to get the Penhold Diefenbunker but we weren't
going to put all our eggs in one bunker, so to speak," Wiberg said
Friday.

Wiberg's XYZ Corp. is one of about five Canadian firms in the
running for a $5-million government contract to grow more than 1,800
kilograms of top-quality marijuana for research and people with
permission to smoke it for medical reasons.

He claims Canada's Diefenbunkers are the best and most secure
locations to set up a hydroponic pot factories but has been told he
cannot buy or lease the Penhold bunker, south of Red Deer, which is
scheduled for demolition.

"I'm really surprised there hasn't been more public outcry on this,"
Wiberg said.

"The government is looking at spending $2 million to knock it down
while I'm offering them $431,000 to buy it. It just doesn't seem like
best use of tax money."

The government has staunchly denied Wiberg's request, saying private
individuals should not own the Diefenbunker because it could be made
into an impenetrable fortress if it fell into the wrong hands, such as
an outlaw motorcycle gang.

In the meantime, Wiberg has reached an agreement with the private
owners of the Diefenbunker in Debert, N.S. to buy or lease the bunker
if his company is chosen for the contract.

However, he said he would like to remain in Alberta and set up,
"joint-ventures" with local universities and research councils to
develop new pot-based medicines and supply an estimated half-million
government-sanctioned pot smokers with weed.

"I would love to set up in this bunker. It's close to my home and I've
got people with expertise lined up and ready to go."

He said he is planning to appear before Red Deer County council on
Tuesday to contest the government's application for a development
permit until the contract is awarded at the end of December.