CANNABIS FLAG STIRS THE HUNTSVILLE POT

HUNTSVILLE residents are hashing it out in a mini-war over a piece of
red-and-white fabric that they say insults Canadians and all we stand for.
The battleground -- a downtown store where an exotic sex and head shop is
filled with every sex and pot toy imaginable.

The issue -- a Canadian-looking flag hanging in the front window of the
Parties and Affairs store on Main St. -- only this flag glorifies a giant
red marijuana leaf .

"It's disgusting. People fought and died for that flag," said Legion
member, Sergeant at Arms Tony Evans, choking back tears as he stood proudly
in front of a row of flags from around the world.

"It brought me to the point of anger when I saw it," he said. "I felt like
smashing my foot through the window and taking that flag and burning it ...
but of course I would never do that."

The good-natured shop owner, Sue Redfearn, said the flag represents the
very soul of freedom of expression in this country and she won't remove it.

"We have a free country and I feel proud of that," she said cheerfully.
"Our war veterans did not fight and die for a flag or a piece of nylon --
they fought for freedom."

The brightly coloured "Oh Cannabis!" flag, made in Taiwan, sells for $15.95
and is a hot item in the store cluttered with colourful glass bongs and
bowls and dozens of catchy little items that glorify the mighty herb.

The flag has caused such a flap in this town 200 km north of Toronto that
the matter was brought up at the town council and the chief bylaw
enforcement officer was enlisted to find out if the flag broke any laws.

"Unfortunately it's not against any law that I am aware of," said George
Turner, a former Toronto police officer. "We have had a lot of complaints
that it shows disrespect against our country."