Marc Emery: "Plant the seeds of freedom; overgrow the government!"
By: Kristina Mamel, The Other Press (CN BC Edu), 10-06-09

Vancouver’s own “Prince of Pot,” Marc Emery, turned himself in to authorities at the B.C. Supreme Court Monday. He currently sits in a Port Coquitlam penitentiary awaiting extradition to the U.S. to begin a five-year sentence for selling marijuana seeds to Americans.

Nothing will be done until Justice Minister Rob Nicholson signs Emery’s extradition order, which could take anywhere from two weeks to two months.

Emery, 51, has been fighting extradition since 2005, when he and two others were indicted on conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. Both of those charges were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea on the charge of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana in connection with his $3 million-a-year catalogue business between 1998 and 2005. U.S. officials agreed to allow him to serve his time in Canada, but Ottawa rejected that proposal. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration even admitted that Emery’s extradition was politically motivated in a press release issued on July 29, 2005.

At a press conference just before he turned himself in, Emery voiced his disgust for the Conservative government’s lack of support.

“As a Canadian being sent abroad for an activity I did here in Vancouver, I have to say I’m disappointed in my government; a little disappointed in my country. But I remain a very positive and proud Canadian patriot and I’m proud of my overgrow the government revolution.”

He has taken the five year bargain and turned himself in willingly in order to avoid a potential 30 year to life sentence abroad. A post on Emery’s Facebook page says, “I am in jail at North Fraser Pre-trial Centre as of September 28th, and my wife Jodie is posting the updates I give her. The Justice Minister of Canada has to extradite me before I go to U.S. prison, tell him to not extradite me! www.CannabisCulture.com”

NDP Leader Jack Layton and MPs Libby Davies and Bill Siksay have written letters to the Justice Minister calling Emery’s extradition “wrong” and encouraging the Conservatives to allow him to serve his time in Canada.

A visibly distraught Jodie Emery told CBC News that the Conservative government “refused to protect my husband, a Canadian citizen, and they’re sending him to a foreign country. This government does not stand up for Canadians at home, they do not stand up for Canadians abroad and my husband is just one of many—I am one of many who are suffering from this. It’s pain inflicted by a prohibition that doesn’t make any sense.”

A vigil for the incarcerated marijuana activist will be held at the North Fraser Pre-Trial Centre in Port Coquitlam from 12–6 p.m. every day until Emery is either freed or extradited.

© 2010 H.U.M.A.N.: Hemp Users Medical Access Network - Toronto Medical Marijuana