ie juana vote Decriminalization of pot on agenda of candidates in two North Shore ridings Michael! Becker Newsroom Editor mbecker@nsnews.com THE grass just got greener on the North Shore. Home toa &air share of pot pullers —-- as Well as illegal manyuana cultivation opera- tions — North and West Vancouver now have two federal election candidates repre- senting the Manjuana Party of Canada. The Marijuana Party agenda is basic: end marijuana prohibition in Canada. The candidate for West Vancouver- Sunshine Coast is Dana larsen. In North Vancouver the candidate is “Tunya Audain. North Shore political junkies will likely be familiar with Audain’s name. She is a founding member of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association. In 1985, the West Vancouver resident was voted volunteer of the year by the junior league. She founded the Gifted Children’s Association of B.C. Audain is a pioneer in the schvol reform movement. She is the coordinator for Education Advisory, a West Vancouver- based group which promotes community participation in education. She has rum as a candidate for the Libertarian Party in past federal and provin- cial elections. This time out the Libertarian option was not available to her on the federal stage. The party failed to come up with the 50 candi- dates needed nationally to rate as a viable federal party. Libertarians, according to Audain, believe people should have “minimum inter- ference and meddling in their peaceful, vol- untary, non-coercive lives. We find the gov- Marcie Gocd News Reporter mgood@nsnews.com SPENDING our moncey: in the narrow- est terms, that’s what a government does. But every political party has a different plan of what it would do: with our hard- earned dollars. Our question this week: Which party do you think would drop the bucks in the ermment meddling in’ people's lifestyle choices and how they govern themselves.” She says Libertarians support the deena nalization of manjuana. “A lot of crime fighting resources are being diverted. They could be used for other things in this coun- try. Fo was a natural for me to seck Ue nom ination for the Manjuana Party as a single issue, Audain does tot smoke marijuana, but she said, “T know the experience of pot because [smoked it when | was an art stu- dent in New York and that was 40 years age, It’s nota part of my life, except that my peo- ple, the Russian Doukbobors that came into Canada as immigrants in 1900, brought hemp sveds with them, Hemp was a clothing item and farmers planted hemp as a wind break between farms.” She believes that by decrimi- nalizing the substance, it will not be “pushed” on young people. “I'm a grandmother, Pve got two grandchildren. If it was decriminalized, it would become more of a normal exper- ence like tobacco or coffee or alco- hol.” She gathered 100 signatures in the coim- munity te become a candidate. The reaction has varied. “Maybe a quarter of the people that { approached for a signature, were quite emotional about it and opposed marijuana being decriminalized.” Others were glad to sign her papers. “[ heard a lot of stories, There was a mother whose son is about 20 and has to have marijuana as a medical need. He was withering away. The pot was helping him restore his life and appetite. Others know of people who have AIDS and cancer and the pot ameliorates their suffering. Other le use it for recreational use znd a lot of young people were pretty gung ho.” Coin of the realm: a questi @ Marcie Williams, North Vancouver: “The Alliance. Thanks to Stockwell Day we ‘got some tax relief ftom the Liberals. He’s asking them to account for their time and the money spent. I think that’s the federal election?” our environment. NORTH Shore News online "readers responded to the fol- . lowing question posted at nsnews.com -— “What do you think is the top issue of . @- News online visitor Stephen Legault put it this way: “I think _ there’s one obvious answer: health. ‘And while many people: think of health being synonymous with health care, I think it’s something much more fundamental — the health of “Think about it. If we didn’t have - to worry about the effects of polluted going to be a strong opposi- ton leader.” @ Matthew Craig. North Vancouver: “The Green Party. I think they are closer to what we feel is important, that’s more along the lines of their ecosystem. air, polluted water and degraded land, we also wouldn’t have to worry about - such things as asthma, e. coli and other pollution-related diseases. “What troubles me is how fittle we have heard about what the candidates and their partics are going to do to . ensure that we have clean air, clean water and a healthy functioning - “I¢’s also important that we ensure there is protection for our endan- gered species. Yes, it’s the ight thing to do. But I also believe that endan- gered species are the proverbial canaries in the coal mine. When an animal or plant is having, trouble sur- viving under certain conditions, it's best way? : . ray Marcie Williams @ Brian Dennchy, Nort! North Vancouver North Vancouver Vancouver: “The Alliance. =~ That’s what they’ve been talk- good. goals. Whereas | feel the big ing about since day one, so don’t think Stockwell Day is political parties, the Liberals, ’ 1m going for them.” going to win, but I think he’s _P.C.s, have their own interests in mind, keeping themselves in power and in moncy.” Charlie Hope, North Vancouver: “The Liberals. They haven’: done too badly for 20-odd years, 1 think pos-’ sibly they'll continue to do so. only a matter of time untill those con- ditions also affect us. “The health of our environment is inextricably linked with the health of all of us, especially our children. It’s time we demand to know what our Tiding candidates intend to do about keeping us ail healthy.” @ News online visitor Georgia Cross ted the following response: “I believe the top issue for this federal election is how the govern- ment is going to spend our tax dollars in the coming millennium. “f and my friends and family are bewildered ar how the Liberals squan- der our money. We have tried and failed to reconcile the Liberals’ stated a a Ai Heat Matthew Craig North Vancouver 1 don’t see voting against them doing a great deal because I don’t think the other parties are strong enough to overcome them. 1 kind of wish the Conservative Party were still in the running because they could kind of face off against each other with, not exactly goals and their resulting actions. I believe that my fellow citizens should “It look fong and hard at the last 10 years and choose a candidate that will bring change to the system of government and value for our tax dollar.” @ Online visitor Donna Stewart sees it this way: “The top issue in this elec- tion is the growing gap between those who have more than enough, and those who have fess than a bare minimum to live on. There is no acknowledgment among the ‘cut taxes’ parties that taxes are payment - for services, that dhey are our fair share of costs for the physical and social infrastructure which makes our country a reasonable place in which TUNYA Audain is representing the Marijuana Party in tha federal North Vancouver riding. n of spending ae = Srian Dennehy North Vancouver opposite idcas, but moderate ideas.” @ George Gray, North Vancouver: “The Liberals. Particularly with. Paul Martin as finance minister. And they stili have a long record of dealing with social issues which I think are important and in the long term is an Zens, tion?” wisdom \ Visit asnews.com to answer..th .: week’s question: “Which federal part do you believe will spend taxpayer: money wisely?” he ee Candidates registered THE list of federal clec- Hon candidates for the North Shore ridings is finalized and the candi- dates are off and run- ning. They are: North Vancouver Tunya Audain —_ Marijuana Party of Canada Bill Bell — Liberat Party of Canada Dallas Collis —- Independent Rusty Corben _ Independent Michael Hill ~ Marxist /Leninist Diana Jewell —- Canadian Action Party Laurence Putnam — Progressive Conservative Sam Schechter — New Democratic Party Ted White — Canadian Alliance West Vancouver- Sunshine Coast Jane M. Bishop — Green Party of Canada Mare Bombois ~ Canadian Action Party Dana Larsen — Marijuana Party of Canada Kate Manvell ~_ Progressive Conservative Tan McKay — Liberal Party of Canada John Reynolds = — Canadian Alliance Telis Savvaidis — New Democratic Party Nomination papers of those secking to compete in the two North Shore federal ridings had to be filed with the riding returning officer by 2 p.m., Nov. 6. -— Michael Becker ie x ' ‘Charlie Hope.” Novth Vancouver effective way to spend money... ~ - And I’m a: little cautious .:° abour the Alliance party, they °: tend to have a conservative right-wing component to them and their (right wing parties’) record th in: Canada and the States has not . been very good when it comes .. to dealing with social issues.” to live, follows from the above that housing, safe, stable, affordable hous- ing is a primary issue. The market is simply nor delivering it in sufficient . quantity, fast enough for all our citi- > “We already know that the incum- bent doesn’t believe in public pro: grams, but tax cuts will not help th: ~ - neediest. The Liberals have been - . major part of the growing probien ’- So where is the choice in this-elec |.