Pubdate: Wed, 10 Aug 2005
Source: Cobourg Daily Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 Northumberland Publishers
Contact:  http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2227
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?196 (Emery, Marc)

NO SYMPATHY HERE FOR EMERY & CO.

The reaction here to the arrest on warrants sought by the United
States for Marc Emery and two associates seems to be one of monumental
indifference. This, in spite of his noisy efforts, and those of his
followers, to make an international incident of it.

Emery is charged by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with
dealing in cannabis seeds to e-mail customers in the U.S. from his
book store in Victoria, B.C. He is also charged with producing
cannabis and, almost as an afterthought, laundering money.

The DEA regard him as a drug lord, and want to take him to Seattle for
trial where, if convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in
jail. Emery regards himself as a martyr to the cause of legalized
marijuana usage. He likens himself, in this respect, to Mahatma Gandhi
and Martin Luther King.

His supporters accuse the Americans of bullying tactics and the
Canadians of meekly succumbing to them. "I see this as part and parcel
of a very great push by the U.S. to invade us with their will," says
Connie Fogal of the Canadian Action Party.

The residents of Cobourg and Port Hope aren't biting. Emery, in their
view, knew what he was doing. Let him face the consequences. Illegal
drugs can be had in both our towns, in spite of the vigilance of the
police services, if one is young enough to know where to go. That is
enough of a problem without Emery's self-serving proselytizing.

He has still to have his day in a Canadian court. His initial arrest
was authorized by a British Columbia judge under the terms of the
Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act. His next appearance
will be an extradition hearing at which the judge will determine
whether the DEA's case against Emery is strong enough to warrant his
removal to Seattle.

If the judge finds in favour of the DEA, Emery and his friends are on
their way unless an appeal is lunched.

In the meantime, Emery is out on bail, and doing everything he can to
obtain popular support. He will find an interested audience in B.C.
where marijuana activists are counted in the thousands but not
elsewhere. The use of marijuana, and its more dangerous spinoffs, is
illegal. That is the real issue here, not the spurious appeals to
national sovereignty.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin