NDP, Liberal, Conservative politicians petition to stop Marc Emery's extradition to the U.S.

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      Members of Parliament from three parties—Conservative, Liberal, and New Democrat—are poised to present petitions with thousands of signatures seeking to stop the extradition to the U.S. of Canada’s Prince of Pot, Marc Emery.

      The politicians are Conservative MP Scott Reid of Ontario, Vancouver South Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, and Vancouver East NDP MP Libby Davies, the Georgia Straight has learned.

      “That’s correct,” Reid’s aide Mike Firth confirmed by phone from Ottawa. “We haven’t arranged a day yet. We’re still trying to get a day when the three of them will be available at the same time.”

      Last summer, Emery entered into a plea bargain with American authorities that will likely see him thrown in a U.S. jail for at least five years for distributing marijuana seeds.

      The petitions ask Conservative justice minister and attorney general Rob Nicholson not to sign the extradition papers of the Vancouver-based cannabis activist.

      In a phone interview, Jodie Emery, Marc Emery’s wife, related that she and her husband met Reid at a Liberty Summer Seminar organized by the Ontario-based Institute for Liberal Studies.

      “Scott Reid was there one year, and we talked to him and he understands that prohibition is a bad idea,” she said.

      Emery also recalled that Reid told them his wife once used marijuana when she was undergoing a series of medical treatments. “She doesn’t need it anymore, I don’t think,” she said. “He said it helps with the nausea. So I guess he’s willing to say that he thinks this [the extradition] is wrong too. There are a lot of Conservative party members who said they don’t like this happening.”

      Reid wasn’t available for comment.

      By Davies’s estimate, the offices of the three MPs have received petitions signed by about 12,000 people who are opposed to Emery’s extradition.

      She confirmed that her office is communicating with Dosanjh’s and Reid’s offices to pin down a day when they will bring the petitions to the floor of the House of Commons.

      “I’m very happy that we should try and do it on the same day,” Davies said by phone from Ottawa. “You can’t necessarily do it one after the other because the Speaker recognizes you not necessarily in the order you want.”

      In a separate interview, Dosanjh said that presenting petitions in the House is one of the duties of MPs.

      Said Dosanjh on the phone from Ottawa, “Members from three different parties are doing it—it’s really a nonpartisan issue.”

      In an interview with the Straight in December, after he was released on bail from the North Fraser Pretrial Centre, Marc Emery said that American authorities are out to get him because of the significant work he has done on legalizing marijuana.

      Emery cited a media statement issued by then–U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration head Karen Tandy following his arrest in 2005. The release stated that his arrest was “a significant blow not only to the marijuana trafficking trade in the U.S. and Canada, but also to the marijuana legalization movement”.

      Comments

      20 Comments

      Mike Moeller

      Mar 11, 2010 at 4:19pm

      If Canada extradites Marc Emery to the U.S. it is a grave miscarage of justice. He did not commit an offence in the states so why on earth would we send him there. He didn,t even commit an offence in Canada as seeds are not against the law because they contain no THC. This is all a pile of political jives by the U.S. administration as misguided as it is corrupt. Why can,t they leave him to do his legal protests and tell the states to tend to thier own crap. After all they just about sent the whole world into bankruptcy and now we,re catering to them.. OH BOY!!!!

      MistyMountainHop

      Mar 11, 2010 at 4:41pm

      Canadians should be subject to Canadian law. It's as simple as that. Harper's willingness to cooperate with the DEA is quite worrisome.

      johnleveridge4@msn.com

      Mar 11, 2010 at 6:12pm

      As a person raised in a Christen home I was alway told and read things about putting my faith in God. Well!, a sinner I am, and feel very happy about it. For as Marc, is guilty of a crime so is GOD he created the seeds to begin with. This is great our governmnet collects profits from a crime that Marc and God caused. This LIER STALLaEVILLEN HARPER is those ones God has warned us about.

      johnleveridge4@msn.com

      Mar 11, 2010 at 6:33pm

      Well I did submit a comment not realizing there is a person that will trash your comment. Sorry but I stand for free speech, free thought, and not in censorship, or political correctness. I believe facts and truth. I am a realist I do not live in fairyland, and do not believe in the tooth fairy or, " THE LIAR STEVEN HARPER". This ------is the greatest treat to Canada and our freedoms in the history of this country. OH! Canada No longer strong or free.

      REDGREENANDMEAN

      Mar 11, 2010 at 7:36pm

      Hey people! just getting this out there 'cause I want to go to one:
      if there were benefit concerts, you'd get hundreds of thousands of signatures and dollars....... 8?)

      J Story

      Mar 11, 2010 at 10:09pm

      Even if Nicholson wanted to thwart the Americans, I doubt he can do it without facing a major US backlash. He needs this show of support, and more, if Emery is to have any chance of remaining in Canada.

      Contact the Justice Minister and your MP -- especially if Conservative or Liberal. Opposition to the US War on Drugs cuts across party lines, but no sitting politician is going to stick his neck out unless he knows he has a good chunk of his riding behind him.

      Uncle Post Modern

      Mar 11, 2010 at 11:47pm

      Leave Marc Emery here. Drop the charges. Legalize and tax marijuana for adults. I don't want to see a national vote to settle the issue of smoking pot. Is everyone willing to go along with the majority if they decide pot should remain illegal? Will that make crazy 20 year jail terms ok? No. I question the idea of a vote settling the problem once and for all. Put to a vote I bet abortion, homosexuality and dancing on Sunday just might lose. People under thirty don't vote much. It needs to be endorsed for legalization by Parliament and all the marijuana prisoners be set free to dance in the fields.

      Bill Harris

      Mar 12, 2010 at 5:41am

      Marc Emery did more than anybody else to keep Madam Secretary Clinton's promise to Mexico to reduce U.S. demand for cartel product. The drug czar’s Rx for prison fodder costs dearly, as lives are flushed down expensive tubes. My shaman’s second opinion is that psychoactive plants are God’s gift. Behold, it’s all good. When Eve ate the apple, she knew a good apple, and an evil prohibition. Don't reform prohibition, just repeal it.

      Midnight Express

      Mar 12, 2010 at 8:05am

      Good riddance to Emery... I hope he does something stupid down there or gets framed so he never gets released... stupid pothead,,,,

      Erling

      Mar 12, 2010 at 1:44pm

      Emery shouldn't be extradited, but it's still disgusting that he's managed to fool so many people into handing him money with his bogus claims that he's broke because he "gave it all to the cause". Dude's a first-rate demagogue, I'll give him that.