WILL CANADA GO TO POT?

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, who launched the campaign surrounded by marijuana paraphernalia, including leaves, bags of seeds and posters emblazoned with the party's "Let's Roll" slogan, later said he believes it is 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."

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.

"We want to change the law, and government is where laws are enacted."

The 35-year-old, whose party garnered more than 66,000 votes in 2000 and is aiming for more than 100,000 on June 28, admits the Marijuana party is focused on one topic, but says it's high time it got more attention.

"We are a single-issue party but that issue covers finances, social climate, justice, international relations and agriculture.

"There's hardly any ministry that isn't affected.  In fact, I think there should be a ministry of marijuana at some point."