POT PARTY NO LONGER BLOWING SMOKE

100 Candidates Are Ready To Roll

'It's A Serious Party ...  A Serious Issue'

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 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, who launched the campaign surrounded by marijuana paraphernalia, including leaves, seeds and posters with the party's "Let's Roll" slogan, later said he believes it's inappropriate to ask people if they've 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," he said.

Legislation aimed at decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana died in the Commons this spring.

St-Maurice, who finished fourth when he ran against Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe in another Montreal riding in the 2000 election, wants voters to know he and his fellow candidates aren't taking the election lightly.

"This is a serious issue and it's a serious party that is addressing a serious issue in a serious nature.  Politics, this is not playtime.  We want to change the law, and government is where laws are enacted."

The 35-year-old's party garnered more than 66,000 votes in 2000 and is aiming for more than 100,000 on June 28.