Protestors return to Amherst Justice Centre

^{AMHERST -} Guns, God, pot and politics were the talk at a demonstration across from the Justice Centre in Amherst, N.S. Tuesday, Apr. 3.

^{Inside the centre, the preliminary trial of Daren Wayne McCormick, 52, of Northport was being held. McCormick faces charges related to pot and gun possession, including the unsafe storage as well as unauthorized possession of guns, 10 of which were handguns.}

^{When RCMP searched and raided the McCormick home in August they allegedly seized a shotgun, ten handguns along with marijuana plants and drug paraphernalia. As a result of the raid the firearm offences against charges against McCormick, which include eight counts of unsafe storage and another eight counts of unauthorized possession of firearms, outweigh the number of marijuana charges against him.}

^{Outside the courthouse, a small group of supporters of the medical marijuana gathered to protest the case. For the protesters, McCormick provides a medicine to people in need. For others, they see religious and political arguments for letting the bearded grower go.}

^{During a noontime break, McCormick said he felt the preliminary hearing was going in his favour.}  

^{McCormick’s supporters are vehement he is a healer of the sick, using marijuana as medicine. McCormick is not secretive about his advocacy, and goes so far as to grow and prepare marijuana into a medicine at no charge.}

^{New Brunswick filmmaker Chris Harrigan featured McCormick in his YouTube documentary Canada’s New Oil Men. In it, McCormick demonstrated how he makes cannabis oil, inspired by another Cumberland County marijuana advocate – Rick Simpson.}

^{Harrigan was on-hand with the protestors outside the centre shooting video and getting updates from McCormick and those wishing to speak in McCormick’s defense, like Kevin Moore from Ontario, a self-styled reverend who says he entered a number of arguments including religious for the judge to consider during the preliminary hearing.} 

^{“I came down here to support Daren. I also came to act in a direct advocacy manner in an activism fashion for Daren. I challenged the status quo today about bringing cannabis into the court, and into the building,” Moore said. “I got stopped early today and searched.”}

^{According to Moore, officials found on him his personal supply of 147 grams of marijuana – a large Ziploc bag full – and a syringe of cannabis oil. Moore claims he is a licensed marijuana user and adds his stash was returned to him.}

^{Marijuana, Moore says, is a sacrament.}

^{“One of our tenants of our basic belief is to use God’s gifts,” Moore said. “God has given us the hemp plant so we use his gifts as often as possible every day.”}

^{RELATED LINKS}

^{• Searches in Amherst, Northport result in charges against two}

^{http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/community/searches-in-amherst-northport-result-in-charges-against-two-35227/}

^{• McCormick loses bid to have weapons charges stayed – http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/news/local/mccormick-loses-bid-to-have-weapons-charges-stayed-29326/}

^{• Canada’s New Oil Men –}

 ^{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mInW-MF8RAA}