Pubdate: Tue, 09 Sep 2014
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2014 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wEtbT4yU
Website: http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Sarah Boesveld
Page: A4

'CANNABIS QUEEN' FILES TO RUN FOR LIBERALS

Jodie Emery, the wife of marijuana activist Marc Emery, officially 
filed her nomination papers Monday to run for the Liberals in 
Vancouver East - a move widely thought to put wind in Conservatives' 
sails as they attack leader Justin Trudeau for pushing marijuana 
legalization too hard.

Ms. Emery said she has never met or spoken with Mr. Trudeau, but 
members of the Vancouver East Federal Liberal Riding Association 
encouraged her to seek the nomination. Still, she understands why he 
would be nervous as the Conservatives try to connect his support for 
legalization with the slippery slope leading to the corruption of children.

"The initial news implied that they'd reached out to me which wasn't 
true," she told the National Post after filing her papers, referring 
to a Georgia Strait headline that claimed the Liberals had wooed 
Canada's "cannabis queen."

"I clarified it as much as I could afterwards, and I intend to run 
this campaign as much as I can from the ground up."

Mr. Trudeau has been criticized for parachuting in "star" candidates, 
such as Chrystia Freeland, which also might explain his reluctance to 
become involved in an open nomination process, she said.

Speculation he was distancing himself from Ms. Emery swirled after 
they both attended the Liberal Party BC Day barbecue, but did not speak.

The Conservatives' efforts to warn against marijuana legalization in 
local by-elections have failed to gain traction, Ms. Emery said.

"[I]t's funny that the Conservatives and NDP are warning to not have 
us run [for the Liberals] ... why are they concerned about the 
welfare of the Liberal party?" she said.

"Maybe, it suggests we actually can help get the vote out because 
Marc and I are high profile and we have people who want to get active 
and we have a federal party that wants to legalize marijuana."

The couple's political efforts kicked into high gear this summer 
after Mr. Emery was released from a Mississippi prison, having served 
1,590 days for drug distribution. He wants the federal election to be 
a "referendum on marijuana legalization."

Ms. Emery shares his views, although she hopes the issue would be 
resolved quickly after the election and she could represent her 
riding on other issues.

"We want more freedom, we want more liberty, we want more value for 
our tax dollars, the best services available with the lowest cost," 
she said, adding she believes Canadians support legalizing pot.

So far, she has just one opponent - Richard Jaques, a former Mountie 
who was once disciplined for "abuse of authority."

Vancouver East has been held by the NDP for 17 years, primarily by 
Libby Davies, a woman Ms. Emery calls her "role model."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom