An Abbotsford, B.C., marijuana activist is fighting to keep his municipal business licence after being charged for allegedly selling the drug to teens.
Tim Felger was arrested in May and charged in connection with trafficking marijuana to teens. He owns Da Kine, a store selling drug paraphernalia and marijuana literature in Abbotsford's downtown core.
Felger, a political hopeful with the federal Marijuana Party, said a city hearing into whether his business licence should be revoked should not be happening behind closed doors.
"They [the city] have done all these things for the past 12 years to violate my freedom of expression and my freedom of speech, and in this meeting they're doing the same," he said.
"I'm going to petition the court and ask the judge to make the meeting public, because it's not a public meeting. This is Abbotsford and that's the way we do it here."
Abbotsford Mayor George Peary said the hearing is in accordance with municipal bylaws.
"Everything that will be said about Mr. Felger will be said in front of Mr. Felger and, indeed, he will have an opportunity to rebut or refute anything that is said."
Peary said city staff will be recommending Felger's licence be revoked, but Felger will have a chance to refute their findings to council.
The hearing is set for June 29, but Felger said he plans to reopen Da Kine on July 1 regardless of the outcome.
"I'm going to open Canada Day with or without a business licence. I don't need a business licence to open. I'm a political organization and I have a right to raise revenue."
News Hawk: MsRedEye: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: CBC.ca
Copyright: 2009 CBC
Contact: CBC.ca - Contact Us Page
Website: Pot activist could lose city business licence after drug charges
Tim Felger was arrested in May and charged in connection with trafficking marijuana to teens. He owns Da Kine, a store selling drug paraphernalia and marijuana literature in Abbotsford's downtown core.
Felger, a political hopeful with the federal Marijuana Party, said a city hearing into whether his business licence should be revoked should not be happening behind closed doors.
"They [the city] have done all these things for the past 12 years to violate my freedom of expression and my freedom of speech, and in this meeting they're doing the same," he said.
"I'm going to petition the court and ask the judge to make the meeting public, because it's not a public meeting. This is Abbotsford and that's the way we do it here."
Abbotsford Mayor George Peary said the hearing is in accordance with municipal bylaws.
"Everything that will be said about Mr. Felger will be said in front of Mr. Felger and, indeed, he will have an opportunity to rebut or refute anything that is said."
Peary said city staff will be recommending Felger's licence be revoked, but Felger will have a chance to refute their findings to council.
The hearing is set for June 29, but Felger said he plans to reopen Da Kine on July 1 regardless of the outcome.
"I'm going to open Canada Day with or without a business licence. I don't need a business licence to open. I'm a political organization and I have a right to raise revenue."
News Hawk: MsRedEye: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: CBC.ca
Copyright: 2009 CBC
Contact: CBC.ca - Contact Us Page
Website: Pot activist could lose city business licence after drug charges
