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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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CN BC: LVR Election Event Cancelled
ccguide Saturday 25 Nov 2000 Pubdate: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC) Contact: Website: http://www.nelsondailynews.com/ Author: Bob Hall Cited: Marijuana Party http://marijuanaparty.org Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjparty.htm (Canadian Marijuana Party) LVR ELECTION EVENT CANCELLED Marijuana Party Actions 'Despicable' Says Jim Gouk In an effort to avoid further controversy, today's all-candidates forum at L.V. Rogers High School has abeen cancelled by school administration. On Monday, Marijuana Party candidate Dan Loehndorf was told by LVR officials that he would not be allowed to participate in the forum which was set up for the mostly pre-voting age students. Threats of protest outside the school by Marijuana Party supporters then led to a complete cancellation of the event. "It's unfortunate for the kids, but we're just not going to take any risks at this point," said LVR principal Brian De Biasio. "Some of the information that is coming our way, we don't feel that we are going to be totally in control of what may be happening at our school if we continued. We're not going to put the kids in that situation." News of the cancellation drew mixed reactions from the candidates. "This thing at the high school has really pissed me off," said Canadian Alliance incumbent Jim Gouk. "The kids have had this every election and it's a really great learning experience for them. "It's coercion and I think it's despicable. Which ever candidate told the school that they would not only pull out, but there would be protests and rallies around the school to disrupt the school...that's when they [Marijuana Party] stepped over the line." As was the case when he was first told he would not be allowed to participate, Loehndorf was concerned that the school is violating his democratic rights. "If you are a candidate in a federal election then you should have the right to speak on your platform." Loehndorf said. "It [canceling the forum] sends a message about democracy to the students that it can be censored and that it's flawed." When he contacted the Daily News Tuesday morning Loehndorf said he was still planning to go to the high school this morning to pass out campaign literature to students. Loehndorf later called back to say he'd changed his mind. "After carefully considering the issue, I believe that it is important that this message gets to students, but I do believe there are other ways to get the message out," he said. "I don't think being there [today] would be in the best interest of getting the message out to parents and students in the most effective way." Whether LVR has trampled on Loehndorf's rights is a bit unclear, but University of Victoria political scientist Dr. Norman Ruff said the school has given the controversial candidate what he wants. "My sense is that this is probably the best thing that could have happened to the [Marijuana Party] because they are getting more publicity," said Ruff. "In a way it's self-defeating because by banning them and canceling the meeting you are giving them far more attention than they would have got if they attended the meeting." Ruff figures there was little harm in letting Loehndorf attend. "It sounds like there is a fear that somehow they will be corrupting youth, but youth are already discussing these things amongst themselves," said Ruff. "These are the kinds of issues that get youth interested in the political process." The last several days of the campaign, Gouk said, have been frustrating because of the LVR situation and the threatened boycott of Monday's all-candidates meeting in Nelson which took place after some candidates expressed concern over the format of the evening. The Alliance MP said he is getting tired of some candidates making a "mockery" of the election. "If he [Loehndorf] follows the rules and procedures then he is as entitled to run as anyone," said Gouk. "But, the fact that you are running doesn't give you an open door to go in anywhere and say whatever you want to any group of people." - --- MAP posted-by: Terry F
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