Pubdate: Tue, 12 Aug 2014
Source: Beacon Herald, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact: http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/letters
Website: http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1459
Author: Giuseppe Valiante
Page: A7

EMERYS TO PUSH HARD FOR POT LEGALIZATION

Prince of Pot returns from U.S. on Tuesday

OTTAWA - Marc and Jodie Emery, Canada's royal couple of marijuana,
plan to take their drug-reform fight global after Marc returns home
from the U.S. a free man.

Jodie Emery, left, and her husband, Marc, below, are throwing their
support behind the Liberals in the hopes of finally realizing their
dream of legal marijuana in Canada.

Soon after Marc walks across the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit into
Windsor, Ont., on Tuesday afternoon, Jodie said the couple will fly to
Ireland and Spain on sponsored speaking gigs.

Jodie has waited more than four years for her husband, once the
largest supplier of marijuana seeds to the U.S., to finish his
sentence for conspiracy to manufacture marijuana.

Known as the Prince of Pot, Marc made millions selling his marijuana
seeds across the border from his British Columbia-based company and
drew the ire of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, which successfully
secured his extradition from Canada in 2010.

Jodie said when they return from Europe they'll "be on a cross-country
welcome home tour" during which they'll campaign for drug reform in
Canada and for their new favourite political party, the federal Liberals.

Ten years ago, Marc and Jodie supported the NDP, which "at least
talked about" legalization, she said.

Now their man is Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who supports marijuana
legalization.

Jodie said she received her official Liberal nomination papers this
week for the riding of Vancouver East, which has been held by the
NDP's Libby Davies since 1997.

Jodie said the reaction to her candidacy from Liberal party insiders
has been "mixed."

"I've received messages from insiders who are thrilled, and from
Liberal party members asking why I'm (joining the party)," she said.

If Jodie wins the nomination but loses the federal election because of
her ties to Marc - a convicted felon - she said the people of
Vancouver East will still have "a wonderful parliamentarian."

"I love Libby (Davies)," Jodie said. "She's amazing."
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MAP posted-by: Matt