Welcome to the United States of America, Marc Emery, the land of the free--even though…
Self-proclaimed “Great Canadian”, marijuana activist and hero, president of the B.C. Marijuana Party, and Vancouver Canucks fan, Marc Emery, turned himself in this morning for extradition to the United States and a five year prison sentence for selling marijuana seeds over the internet to Americans from Canada. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson signed the extradition order this morning. Emery has been out on bail since last fall while Nicholson considered going through with sending Emery, who’s been eligible for extradition since early January, to the US. And, in keeping pace with history, the Canadian government has never refused an American request for extradition.
“I think of myself as a great Canadian – I’ve worked my whole life for individual freedom in this country, I’ve never asked for anything in return,” Emery said outside B.C. Supreme Court in downtown Vancouver, this morning.
“I am absolutely devstated that this Conservative government has opted to send my husband, a Canadian citizen, to the United States for a ‘crime’ that amounts to a $200 dollar fine in Canada,” said Jodie Emery. “This case is about silencing my Husband for his marijuana activism. This Conservative government has declared a culture war in Canada and my husband is it’s latest victim.”
Emery ran his magazine, seed and head shop businesses openly and transparently, declaring all of his income and paying all required taxes. The government of Canada received about $378,000 generated from Emery’s businesses and the provincial government of British Columbia has received about $200,000. Every Member of Parliament in Canada, all 305, had a free subscription to Cannabis Culture magazine, which had Emery’s seed catalog in every issue. Nobody ever complained…until Emery embarrassed the Bush administration by speaking out against the failing War on Drugs and how it was affecting Canadians.
At first, the penalties facing Emery and his employee’s were staggering. Emery looked at life imprisonment and under Drug Kingpin legislation he could be executed…as selling over 60,000 seeds qualified him for the death penalty in the United States! Charges were dropped against the two employees as part of a plea agreement; Emery would spend 5 years in a US prison for selling seeds from his desk.
To the marijuana movement, Emery has given away over $4,000,000 to activist groups worldwide looking for political change, for ballot initiatives throughout the United States, referendums, court challenges, Supreme Court of Canada challenges, refugees, bail costs, legal defense funds, political parties, individuals, drug addiction clinics, media, medical bills for activists (Terence McKenna, Jack Herer), Compassion Clubs (legal bills and start-up money), Hemp fests, conferences, Global Marijuana Marches (2000 to 2005), full page ads in Canadian newspapers, HEMP BC Legal Assistance Centre… and the list goes on.
Along with all the good has come the bad; America’s War on Drugs has now targeted Canada’s 7 to 15 billion dollar weed industry! Millions and millions of pot-smokin’ Canadians deal with millions and millions of pot-smokin’ Americans daily and now any marijuana transaction that incorporates the USA could lead to a conspiracy to import marijuana into the United States.
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This is absolutely appalling. To think, the US can bring over heroine from Afghanistan to help support that country USING THIER MILITARY but when a Canadian citizen mails out a few million seeds to help their country and a cause that they believe in, then they are sent to jail. I think there needs to be a change to the system because what they're doing is wrong.
Marc Emery never even took the mass of his profits. He donated it to the marijuana movement trying to correct something that needed corrected. Marijuana should not be illegal and everyone knows it. The US government however are taking the profits from Afgghanistan so that the Taliban does not get it. Sure, thats a good idea but should you be importing it into your own country and then jailing the people you sell it to? That doesn't make much sense.
End the war on drugs. It has not been effective and only ruins peoples lives. Free Marc Emery and change the world. Make it at least a bearable place to live in.
Are there large numbers of the"Mariuana Movemen" in the United States? Just curious.
If Obama had any morals he would have stopped this nonsense long ago, and it would have barely even made the news in the U.S. This just shows that he's Bush II
Fuck you, America. I suppose they'll start extraditing people from other Countries and locking them up in Prisons too. What's next? If the Americans by some chance make contact with Aliens on Mars (I know, it won't happen) and find out they smoke Marijuana, are they going to arrest them too?
America is a bully.
Im embarrassed to be an American on this day! Im sorry to the rest of the world that our government is out of control,i assure you if things dont change soon we the American people will fix our government!
Sharks are San Jose not Vancouver...
too much pot bro
of course we know the Sharks are here in the Bay Area, yo! We write this shit from Oaksterdam. But, you're right about too much pot, tho...
The fascists should keep their fascist hands off our citizens. What's wrong? The empire running out of its own citizens to throw in jail?
This is beyond the control of Obama as Bush and his party were involved in this or aggravated because of this amazing man's testament to his believes. Its a sad day when the world blames one man's pursuit for his values to the WHOLE UNITED STATES (that being Bush the moron). Yeah, he is suppose to represent the USA, but the majority of our country didn't agree with 90% of what he did. Matter of fact, our country is suffering more and more from the result of his 8 year term.
I am proud to be American and I wouldn't have a problem saying that to your face. But I do have a problem with this injustice and absolutely poor utilization of resources to pursue this man. Canada and the US has always worked very closely with each other and will continue to base their reactions for the relationship we have with one another. Why create enemies with neighbors.
FREE EMERY and FREE all government minds on what is actually killing our people, its not Marijuana. Its big business, big oil, big pharmaceutical business. Please GOD HELP US!
This is just obscene. Really, 5 years to life or CANNABIS!? I'm glad the initiative to legalize it in California made the ballot for NOV. 2010! Definitely going to be voting for that!
And yes, I am embarrassed to be American! (Well im half/half Canadian/American) I'm moving the hell back to Vancouver! Our government is so corrupt, and theyre all such pansy asses. They need to stop worrying about what everyone else will think about them and just be progressive already. LEGALIZE POT AND LEGALIZE GAY