MARIJUANA PARTY NOT BLOWING SMOKE

CP

MONTREAL -- The Marijuana Party rolled out its election platform yesterday, hoping its 100 or so candidates can convince voters that it's more than just a token party.  The grassroots organization aims to field candidates in every region of Canada except Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and the Northwest Territories.

One of the most intriguing contests will pit party leader Marc-Boris St-Maurice against Prime Minister Paul Martin in the Montreal riding of LaSalle-Emard.

"We're going to try to find out a little bit more about Sheila's brownies," St-Maurice joked, referring to the prime minister's comment at the end of last year that his wife once made strange-tasting brownies.

But St-Maurice thinks it's inappropriate to ask people if they have used dope.

"To be honest, I don't really care whether Paul Martin smoked marijuana or not.  I really care if he's going to legalize it."