Michael Baldasaro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. (Discuss)

Michael A. J. Baldasaro and Walter Tucker are eccentric fixtures in the Hamilton, Ontario, area. They have received significant media coverage over their lifetimes for their marijuana work particularly.

[edit] Fringe religion

They are members of the Church of the Universe, where they are more commonly known as Brother Michael and Brother Wally. Church members use marijuana as a sacrament and have operated a nudist colony in Puslinch, Ontario. This activity obviously led to numerous criminal trials over possession and trafficking.

[edit] Fringe politics

Baldasaro and Tucker have taken turns alternating as fringe candidates and their official agents in various area elections.

Their support peaked at 10% of the Hamilton mayoral vote in the 1990s, when Baldassaro was the sole opponent of incumbent mayor Bob Morrow. Municipal ward 2 councillor in 2004 by-election Baldasaro got 52 votes.

They have run for federal parliament: In 1984, Baldasaro got 300 votes as a Libertarian candidate in the federal riding of Hamilton West. In 1988, Tucker got 179 votes as an independent candidate in Hamilton West. In 2000, Baldasaro got 573 votes as a Marijuana Party of Canada candidate in Hamilton East. In 2004, Baldasaro got 345 votes as an independent candidate in Hamilton Centre. In 2006, Baldasaro again ran for mayor of Hamilton and received 4,520 votes (3.61% of the total vote).

Baldasaro also ran as a candidate for the Progressive Conservative leadership in 1998, although he withdrew from the race before the convention.