MAYOR DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF ALLEGED FAMILY GROW-OP

The Mayor of a small village in B.C.'s West Kootenay region says she
had no idea her family was allegedly running a marijuana grow-op, and
she will not step down over what she considers a private affair.

Police raided an outdoor grow operation in the Slocan Valley, in
southeastern B.C., seizing 657 pot plans and an undisclosed amount of
cash on Aug. 23. The Mayor's husband and two sons were arrested.

Madeleine Perriere, the Mayor of the Village of Slocan, population
357, said she did not know about her family's alleged involvement in
the drug trade prior to the arrests.

She issued the statement during the town council's meeting on Sept.
13, and has since been silent on the matter, CBC News reported yesterday.

"Council is behind her, she's doing a good job," said Councillor Jean
Patterson "What her family does, that's their business.

"There are a lot of more important things going on in the world than
what's going on in Slocan."

RCMP Corporal Dan Moskaluk said yesterday that police had not released
the names of the accused as charges have not yet been laid in
Provincial Court.