For the second time this week, a federal NDP candidate has pulled out of the B.C. election race over the issue of drug use.
On Thursday, it was Dana Larsen, a candidate in West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country riding, who withdrew following media reports about his involvement in a Vancouver store that sells seeds to grow illegal drugs, including coca seedlings.
Then on Friday afternoon, Kirk Tousaw, the NDP candidate in Vancouver-Quadra announced that he was stepping down.
In a release, he attributed the move to the likelihood that his past involvement in drug policy reform work might serve to continue to take the focus away from the issues that matter most to Canadians.
"I became involved in the New Democratic Party because I believe that our party has the right ideas and policies on the environment, health care, the economy and ending Canadian involvement in the war in Afghanistan," he said. "I still believe that."
Like Larsen, Tousaw is a former member of the B.C. Marijuana Pary, who was running under the NDP banner.
Gerry Scott, B.C. campaign manager for the NDP said he has accepted Mr. Tousaw's decision.
