GROW-OP BILL WILL HURT ECONOMY

The provincial government has passed a bill that gives B.C. Hydro the
right to report to municipalities the suspicious use of electricity.
This will, in effect, allow local fire departments and police to
crash down on people that they suspect are using their residences as
marijuana grow-ops.

Justice will triumph. "Criminals" will be put in jail. Our American
friends, who have exerted influence on the government, will be
pleased. Fireman and police will build impressive resumes. Our
second-largest industry will, well, go up in smoke.

The mom and pop grow-op will be no more. They will be in jail,
unemployed, or on welfare. Some will go bankrupt. Not only will the
government diminish our most notorious industry -- it will create
massive social havoc in the one fell swoop. Pot prices will rise.
Potheads -- unable to afford the weed -- will turn to crack and
crystal meth. More crime will ensue.

It seems that our justice system and our policy makers have been
hijacked by American interests. Campbell and his cronies have begun a
process which will destroy the economy and cause undue strain upon
social programs. Just like America!

Our province will respond by building more jails and deleting most of
the remaining social programs. The corporate and political interests
that have driven the bill in no way reflect the interests of the
people of British Columbia. Regardless, the government will consider
the bill, and its impact, a success.

Chris Kennedy

Tofino.