B.C. needs its own provincial police force, and the necessary control over it

By Gordon Gibson, Special to the Sun March 10, 2009

Until about 60 years ago, British Columbia did not use the services of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. We had our own provincial police force.

Maybe it is time to revisit that idea, since our contract with the feds for the Mounties is up in 2012. It is being re-negotiated right now, shrouded in the usual secrecy. The reputation of the federal force has never been lower.

Help us get Jodie Emery elected for the BC Green party in Vancouver-Fraserview! We are going to be out getting signatures this Saturday March 14, meeting at the BCMP at noon! If you can help out, come on down and we'll head out to the riding from here. Keep in mind we are going campaigning, so dress warmly and nicely!

For more information and for upcoming events, join Jodie's facebook page at

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=50529447295&ref=mf

or check out her Candidacy Website at

http://www.jodieformla.com

Hope to see you this Saturday!

(The Economist)
Legalization Drives Away Gangsters and Makes Health, Not Crime, the Issue

A hundred years ago, a group of foreign diplomats gathered in Shanghai for the first-ever international effort to ban trade in a narcotic drug. On Feb. 26, 1909, they agreed to set up the International Opium Commission -- just a few decades after Britain had fought a war with China to assert its right to peddle the stuff.

The General, who served as “drug czar” under President Bill Clinton from 1996 to 2001, was asked about marijuana legalization at a February 23 panel discussion of the Council on Foreign Relations. The panel’s focus was primarily on US/Mexican relations particularly during this period of intense prohibition-related violence. McCaffrey indicated that – now that he has left public life – he could admit that he did not care about adult marijuana use:

Carole James of the BC NDP has stated in the media that she is opposed to marijuana legalization, most recently here http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090220_144947_1572

This failure on James' part to abide by even her own party policy is disgraceful, and exactly why we are working with the Green Party on the BC Election, May 12 2009!

Stephen Harper will be at 300 west Hastings at 1pm Feb 26! Meet us at 12pm at 307 west Hastings (BCMP Building) to get ready!

Stephen Harper is in Vancouver this Thursday (location and time TBA) to announce a so called tough on crime strategy. Instead of targeting gangs, Harper is going to target low level drug use. Bill C-26, defeated last session proposed 6 month mandatory minimum sentences for growing even 1 marijuana plant. This despite studies from our own Justice Department that show these sentences do not deter crime and fill our jails with non-violent offenders.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Harper+announce+crackdown+gang+crime+Va...

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/just+makes+sense+drugs/1319146/story.html

Marijuana and drug trafficking are the central catalysts in the current Lower Mainland gang war, yet we are discussing everything except the obvious solution -- an end to the continental prohibition on illicit drugs.

If U.S. President Barack Obama can frankly admit his past illegal drug use, hasn't the time come for us to start talking seriously about an end to the so-called War on Drugs launched by his disgraced predecessor Richard Nixon?

Print and distribute this pamphlet everywhere:

http://www.bcmarijuanaparty.com/v2/sites/default/files/images/EndProhibi...
http://www.bcmarijuanaparty.com/v2/sites/default/files/images/EndProhibi...

How Do We End The Gang Violence?
END PROHIBITION!

Gang Violence is caused by Drug Prohibition.