'GRASS' ROOTS PUSH

POT-SMOKING CANDIDATE TURNS ON YOUNG TORIES

Ontario's young Tories looked like they'd found the pot of gold last night.

When Rev. Brother Michael Baldasaro and his campaign manager Rev. Brother
Walter Tucker rolled into the joint, the star-struck young PCs flocked to
get autographs from the marijuana advocates.

Surrounded by the young Tories -- 200 are in town for a meeting of the
Ontario PC Youth association -- Baldasaro, who announced his candidacy for
Tory leader Thursday, signed "Peace Brother" and schmoozed with the crowd.

When asked if the pair represented the future of the Tory party Josh Somer,
a 16-year-old PC youth member, replied "I certainly hope not."

"But they're adding some humor and excitement to the race, said Somer, who
moments earlier lined up for an autograph. "I think they're taking away a
lot of attention from the serious candidates."

"I admire their desire to tap the grass roots," said 19-year-old delegate
Ted Wright of Port Hope. "They seem genuine and that's a breath of fresh air."

While Baldasaro and Tucker rolled in and stole the spotlight from the other
candidates who dropped by the convention -- including Hugh Segal and Brian
Pallister -- they were upset "Brother Joe" Clark didn't make it last night.

"We'd be honored to meet him," Baldasaro said.

The "Cheech and Chong" duo handed out a letter Clark wrote in January 1979
that stated "simple possession of marijuana should be decriminalized."

Clark is scheduled to address the convention today.

Baldasaro and Tucker were at the convention plugging their 21-gun salute of
ideas for a better Canada, including giving Canadian mothers $10,000 on the
first birthday of her children.

Leadership candidate Brian Pallister was unimpressed with the duo.

"The party's open, the party's inclusive, anybody can announce they want to
run," Pallister said.

He said it's not terrible that people will open the paper and see the
Tories' "Doobie Brothers."

"That's fine, there's cartoons in the paper too," Pallister said.

Copyright (c) 1998, Canoe Limited Partnership.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski