Pubdate: Tue, 02 Aug 2005
Source: Metro (CN ON)
Section: Pg 6
Copyright: 2005 Metro
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3462
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

POT ACTIVISTS BUSTED

Canadian Trio Violate U.S. Law With Seeds Sales

Canada should be ashamed for arresting a prominent Canadian marijuana 
rights activist on charges of violating American drug laws, marijuana 
advocates said in Toronto yesterday after demonstrating against the arrest.

B.C. Marijuana Party leader Marc Emery, who sells marijuana seeds over the 
Internet from his Vancouver base, was arrested by RCMP in Nova Scotia on a 
warrant issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Although selling marijuana seeds is legal in Canada, it's a violation of 
U.S. law.

"Ottawa should be ashamed ... for selling off Canadians to keep good 
relations with Uncle Sam," said Jessica Aulthouse yesterday outside the 
U.S. Consulate General on University Avenue, where 30 people gathered to 
protest the arrest of Emery and two of his colleagues. Her comments 
followed the surprise arrests of the three, authorized by a B.C. Supreme 
Court under the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act. The three 
now face extradition and, if convicted, punitive sentences ranging from 10 
years to life in prison.

Emery, 47, Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek, 34, financial agent for the party and 
Greg Williams, 50, an employee of Pot-TV, all face U.S. charges of 
conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, distribute seeds and engage in money 
laundering.

The arrests came after the trio was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury 
in May following an 18-month investigation by American police into the sale 
of marijuana seeds on the Internet and by mail.
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