SHAVLUK READY TO FIGHT FOR RIDING

Colourful Independent Looking For Honest Representation And
Legalizing Of Marijuana

This is the third and final installment in a series of interviews
with the five candidates running in Delta South in the May 12
provincial election.

Independent candidate John Shavluk maintains he is the one who is in
the best position to fight for what South Deltans want.

"I can't think of anyone better to take on [Premier Gordon] Campbell
for Delta South than me," he said in a recent phone interview.

This is not his first kick at the can when it comes to politics.
Shavluk ran in the two previous provincial elections (in 2001 and
2005) as the Marijuana Party candidate for Delta North and also ran
as an independent in Newton-North Delta in last year's federal
election after being removed as the Green Party candidate for alleged
anti-Semitic remarks made online in 2006. Shavluk has maintained his
comments were not anti-Semitic and has launched a lawsuit.

He also made a bid for a city council spot in Saskatoon in the early 1980s.

Shavluk, who said he was framed in the 1990s for marijuana
possession, which led to a two-year jail term, said at the beginning
of his campaign he's not afraid to speak out on the issues, including
human rights, which he said has resulted in making enemies.

"I'd like to see honest representation for Delta South," he said.
"I'm standing up because somebody should be."

Shavluk, who moved to British Columbia in 1993, said he decided to
run in Delta South this time around after Liberal Attorney General
Wally Oppal announced he would be running for the party here. He said
the attorney general has the power to legalize marijuana, something
he would like to see happen.

"Politicians who are for prohibition are also for organized crime," he said.

Shavluk also has issues with the B.C. Rail deal, which is still
before the courts, and said he is "ashamed as a Canadian" the RCMP
officers involved weren't charged in the death of Robert Dziekanski,
the man who died after being Tasered at Vancouver International
Airport in 2007.

The matter is currently the subject of a public inquiry, however no
charges have been laid.

All of these things, he said, Oppal has the power to do something about.

Shavluk said he knows he won't win the election next Tuesday; his
goal in running is to get his message out and try to educate a few more people.

However, if he is successful, Shavluk believes he has the skills to
be an effective MLA for Delta South. He said if he had been sitting
in the legislature for the past four years things would have been
done differently.

"The Delta South residents would have had the power lines dealt with," he said.