Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2014
Source: Georgia Straight, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 The Georgia Straight
Contact:  http://www.straight.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1084
Author: Travis Lupick

THERE'S A SMOKY CELEBRATION IN EAST VANCOUVER TODAY AHEAD OF MARC 
EMERY'S RELEASE FROM PRISON

TODAY (JULY 9) is the official end of Marc Emery's five-year sentence
for selling marijuana seeds to customers in the U.S.

To mark the occasion, a "smoky celebration" is planned for 4 p.m. at
Cannabis Culture Headquarters at 307 West Hastings Street.

However, Vancouver's Prince of Pot isn't actually scheduled for
release until tomorrow (July 10), at which point he will be
transferred from Yazoo City Prison in Mississippi into the custody of
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. (Yazoo doesn't release
inmates on Wednesdays.)

How long Emery spends in the hands of border security is entirely up
to that bureaucracy. His wife, Jodie Emery, previously told the
Straight that the couple expects to be reunited in Windsor, Ontario,
in the late summer. Past precedents suggest it's possible the transfer
might not be completed until as late as sometime in September.

Speaking to the Straight from Yazoo City Prison in June, Emery said he
plans to return to political activism almost as soon as he's back in
Canada.

But first things first. There are public parties planned for Toronto
and then Vancouver, Emery noted. And then he and Jodie will be
travelling abroad, on a speaking tour through Europe and a bit of a
vacation. A second trip planned for 2015 is expected to take them to
Jamaica, Uruguay, Argentina, and South Africa.

By that time, Canada will be preparing for the 2015 federal election,
which Emery said will see him and Jodie make a 30-stop cross-country
tour beginning in early September.

We'll be trying to get young people out," he said. "It's really
important to motivate them to go out and vote for the Liberal party,
because they could also split the vote between the Greens and the NDP,
and I really don't want to see that happen."

In recent years, the Emerys have become vocal supporters of the
Liberals and party leader Justin Trudeau.

On June 18, the Straight reported the Liberals are considering Jodie
as their candidate for Vancouver East, a pick that would serve as a
strong signal the party is serious about reforming how Canada deals
with marijuana.

Emery said he has no plans to run for office himself.

"Getting rid of Stephen Harper and making sure Justin Trudeau is
elected along with the Liberal party is a pretty major job," Emery
said. "Really, the only job that I'm going to have in the next year."
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MAP posted-by: Matt