POT ADVOCATE MAKES MAYORAL BID

NORTH BAY - A pot advocate campaigning for a third time to become
mayor of West Nipissing defended his democratic right this week to
run for political office.

Michel Ethier said Wednesday he has no plans to withdraw from the
mayor's race even if he is the only candidate challenging incumbent
Joanne Savage.

"I have no intention of throwing in the towel," said Ethier. "If she
wants to pull out ... that's fine with me."

With acclamations expected in each of the community's seven wards,
there's talk on the street Ethier should withdraw his candidacy
because the municipality will be required to finance as much as
$50,000 for an election for a mayoral campaign that most residents
won't take seriously.

Savage said she would never suggest anyone should be forced to
withdraw from an election campaign. But she said residents are upset
at the possibility of footing the bill for an expensive election only
to hear a platform they've all heard before.

"At what cost are you willing to make a point," Savage asked.

Ethier, 49, finished a distant third to winner Gary O'Connor and
runner-up Raymond Brouillette in 1998 and garnered 63 votes in his
second attempt at the mayor's seat in 2003. He has also run for the
Marijuana Party in the last two federal elections.