MARCH NOT COVERED UNDER FELGER'S PERMIT

A pro-marijuana rally and march today at Mill Lake will go ahead even if
city bylaws prevent it, says its organizer.

Marijuana activist Tim Felger is the contact for Abbotsford in a lengthy
list of cities around the world where "Liberation Day" will be observed in
the Million Marijuana March.

Literature promoting the event lists the cities alphabetically, starting
with Abbotsford and including such far-flung centres as Bremen, Germany;
Tokyo, Japan and Zagreb, Croatia.

"We may rent some buses, we may walk down the sidewalk and stick our tongue
out at them. Somehow, we're getting there on foot," he said of plans to
march from Mill Lake to city hall.

"They have to be ridiculous if they think they're going to stop us moving.
"I'm going to keep embarrassing them until they bring the war on drugs to
an end."

A spokesperson at Abbotsford City Hall said that Felger has only a parks
use permit, and that does not cover any procession along city streets,
which would be required under the Abbotsford Special Events Bylaw.
"Attendance may exceed 200 - we'll see," said Felger.

After the rally, the crowd plans to march to city hall for a ceremonial
lighting of a marijuana cigarette.

Abbotsford Police spokesman Const. Shinder Kirk confirmed the group does
have a permit to assemble in the park, but not for a procession.

"If they choose to march from Mill Lake to city hall, there is an avenue
for us to explore prosecution under the bylaw," said Kirk. But he said
police will likely just ensure that traffic and pedestrian safety concerns
are met along the route.

"We do support freedom of speech. That's the way of our country," he said.
At a February meeting of the Abbotsford Police Board, Felger invited Mayor
George Ferguson to the "sparking of the ceremonial doob" today.

Felger, who is facing charges in connection with a raid by the Abbotsford
Police Emergency Response Team on his Bradner property in January, appeared
before police commissioners to recite a lengthy manifesto on the theme of
legalizing marijuana and ending the war on drugs.

Ferguson, who is police board chairman, gave Felger 10 minutes for his
presentation, and at its conclusion board members had no comment except to
ask Felger if he had a permit for his gathering.

"What concessions are you willing to give me?" he asked. He told the
Abbotsford News after the meeting that "with or without a permit, we're
going (today). I've got freedom of assembly. If they want to take it to the
Supreme Court to see if I have that freedom, we'll do that."