THICK SKIN - AND CLOTHES - REQUIRED FOR POLITICKING

It's been a tough stretch for a few former federal election
hopefuls.

Last week, Dana Larsen, the NDP candidate in West Vancouver-Sunshine
Coast-Sea to Sky Country, resigned following questions about the sale
of coca seedlings at the Vancouver Seed Bank he launched in 2006. The
store also sells marijuana, poppy and tobacco seeds.

The 37-year-old author of Hairy Pothead and the Marijuana Stone and
founding editor of Cannabis Culture Magazine admits to enjoying pot
occasionally. In fact a number of YouTube videos show Larsen toking
up.

Apparently this didn't go over well with party officials.

This week, another federal NDP candidate in B.C. dropped out of the
race.

Julian West announced Tuesday he was quitting as the New Decmocrat in
Saanich-Gulf Islands after it was revealed he indulged in body
painting and went skinny dipping 12 years ago.

Meanwhile, in the Tory camp, the Conservative candidate for a Toronto
riding stepped down after controversial comments made on his blog surfaced.

Chris Reid apparently ranted about abortion; multiculturalism; a
left-wing CBC; gay advocacy; concealed weapon bans; and complacent bus
passengers on the Greyhound bus that was the scene of a gruesome beheading.

No word on whether Reid had ever swum naked.