extradition

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.

TORONTO — A 74-year-old woman from Hamilton, Ont., who attempted to cross the border into New York state earlier this week learned the hard way that the United States does not take kindly to drug charges — no matter how old.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection say Homenella Cole advised border officers at the Lewiston-Queenston border crossing Monday that she was inadmissible to the U.S. because of previous criminal convictions in Canada.

"She said she wanted a waiver to enter the U.S., which is not uncommon," said CBP spokesman Kevin Corsaro.

A routine criminal record check revealed that Cole was the subject of active felony warrant issued on April 1, 1980 by the New York City Police Department.

The fate of Marc Emery, known worldwide as the Prince of Pot, is in the hands of Canada’s Justice Minister Rob Nicholson. The Justice Minister will decide to approve or refuse the extradition of Emery to the United States at any time after January 8th. Emery is a well-known Canadian businessman, activist, and leader of the BC Marijuana Party. He is facing extradition to the United States to face charges for selling marijuana seeds through the mail to Americans.

In late 2009, Marc Emery signed a plea deal for a 5-year sentence in the US system. “I was forced to take this plea deal for five years under great duress,” said Emery.

“If I went to trial in the United States, I would have received a mandatory minimum sentences of 30 years up to life. I shouldn’t be going to prison at all for selling seeds to consenting adults, but five years is preferable to a life sentence.”

By. Elaine O’Connor, Canwest News Service

VANCOUVER -- Vancouver marijuana activist Marc Emery is taking his last puff of freedom -- as the clock counts down on an extradition order that will send him to a U.S. jail for five years.

Mr. Emery, founder of the B.C. Marijuana Party and publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine, is currently out on bail waiting for Federal Justice Minister and Attorney General Rob Nicholson to sign the extradition order, which can be done any time after Friday.

Mr. Emery says he will not turn fugitive, but will obey the order, when it comes.

By. Matthew Johnston

Canadian libertarian publisher and activist Marc Emery faces extradition to the U.S. on charges related to selling marijuana seeds. While Justice Minister Rob Nicholson could refuse the U.S. extradition request, he is expected to approve the extradition anytime after January 8th, according to Jacob Hunter, Policy Director with Beyond Prohibition Foundation.

Nicholson has ignored the pleas of Canadians to charge Emery in Canada for his so-called crime of selling marijuana seeds. This move would assert Canadian sovereignty over drug policy and likely lead to a legal outcome that would better reflect Canadian attitudes toward marijuana prohibition.

Emery is the publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine, leader of the BC Marijuana Party and owner of the now-defunct Marc Emery Seeds, an online marijuana seed retailer, the profits from which financed much of international movement to liberalize marijuana laws before his arrest.

Peter Jaworski & Dr. Michael Wagner, The Western Standard

Canadian libertarian publisher and activist Marc Emery faces extradition to the U.S. on charges related to selling marijuana seeds. Movie director Roman Polanski faces extradition to the U.S. on charges related to drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. While the Canadian government refuses to protect its own peaceful, productive natural-born citizen from extradition, Polanski’s adopted country of France is fighting to keep this confessed sex offender from facing the U.S. justice system.

Marc Emery is a quintessential citizen-activist. That is the message one gets from his life so far. Although he has had occasional run-ins with Canadian authorities over his marijuana activism, the worst punishment he experienced before his current arrest was two months in jail. For the most part, Emery was left alone, generating tax revenue for the government and employing numerous people through his publishing and retail businesses. He wasn’t harming anyone, so there was no urgency to deal with him.

By Lindsay D. Willett

Marc Scott Emery has been allowed bail this morning, aided by lawyer Kirk Tousaw. While this decision is encouraging for Marc and his family, the extradition is pending and Marc could be sent to the United States any day. This decision means that Marc could be out of North Fraser Pretrial Centre today or tomorrow to spend what time he has left in Canada with his wife Jodie.