Wednesday, December 11, 2013 NewsLeader A31
Pot referendum petition falls short of mark Sensible BC gets 210,000 signatures, vows to try again Jeff Nagel Black Press
cHOicequotes Dana larsen Had we been operating under the rules of pretty much any other referendum system in the world, we would have qualified to be on the ballot.
The Sensible BC campaign to spark the decriminalization of marijuana in B.C. is on the ballot.” officially up in smoke after He said the 4,500 falling short of its goal. registered petitioners Pot activists got 210,000 – triple the number at signatures or about twothe start of the 90-day thirds of the 300,000 campaign – reached the needed – 10 per cent threshold required by of voters in all 85 B.C. Elections BC in 19 electoral ridings – for their initiative districts and got at least petition to potentially eight per cent in five more. trigger a referendum. They Successful local had aimed for a target campaigns happened on of 450,000 to provide a much of Vancouver Island, buffer against disqualified the Kootenays and other signatures. parts of the Interior. “It’s a pretty remarkable But in the vote-rich accomplishment,” Sensible Lower Mainland that Black Press file BC head Dana Larsen. holds the most districts, Dana Larsen and Sensible BC hoped to get the province to pass legislation banning the police from “We’ve definitely marijuana advocates cameSIZE: 10.3125" M simple Y K marijuana spending time possession. 50 Best - 2014 | Ws13-g-halfpage-50best.pdf • FILE widegoing X 7”after highpeople | C for | US Newsprint SNAP 2007 • demonstrated a high up short. BLEED: 0.0" on all sides level of organization and They reached the 10 support for this cause. Had per cent threshold in just Fraser Valley. legislation banning police by opponents and at times we been operating under Vancouver-West End They came closest in the from expending any time by calls to police as they Prepared by: Westminster Savings Marketing Department Prepared by: Westminster Savings Marketing Department the rules of pretty much and Vancouver-Mount three North Shore ridings and resources on simple tried to collect signatures • Manager, Brand & Marketing Services: Ben Champion with • Senior Graphic Designer: David marijuana Greb any other referendum Pleasant, with no other eight per cent plus. possession. on SkyTrain and BC D Sensible 604.528.3845 E dgreb@wscu.com system Din 604-528-3800 the world, we E bchampion@wscu.com local wins in the rest of BC aimed to Larsen said canvassers Ferries. would have qualified to be Metro Vancouver or the compel the province to pass were harried in some areas The outcome is nowhere
near the 700,000 signatures gathered by Fight HST forces en route to their winning referendum. But Larsen argues the province must now look “very seriously” at the marijuana issue, particularly as states such as Washington and Colorado move to full pot legalization. He says history shows even failed campaigns can have impact. A prior initiative in 2002 pushing proportional representation got 98,000 signatures but led to a citizens assembly on electoral reform and ultimately two referendum questions on the issue. Signatures were being delivered to Elections BC Monday and Larsen said Sensible BC will take a break over Christmas before deciding when to mount a new petition campaign, along with other forms of political engagement. “We’re definitely going to do it again,” he said. jnagel@blackpress.ca
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