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B.C. Pot Crusader Says Elections Canada Probing His Third Party Advertising
Camille Bains | Vancouver Sun | 01/10/2006

VANCOUVER -- Pot crusader Marc Emery could only joke Monday about his apparently mounting legal woes after a government official informed him he'd likely be investigated for violating third-party election advertising.

"It looks like I'm going to get charged for violating the Elections Act in the 2004 election,'' Emery said dryly.

Third parties that spend over $500 on election advertising must register with Elections Canada and file an election advertising report within four months after polling day.

Emery, 47, is scheduled to return to B.C. Supreme Court next month to set a date for his extradition hearing on drug charges in the United States.

The president of the B.C. Marijuana Party said he didn't known he had to register with Elections Canada when he spent $6,500 to print 80,000 cards promoting the NDP in the last federal election.

"I presumed that because we have a political party we're entitled to do stuff in British Columbia any time,'' he said.

Elections Canada official Leonard Giles, who visited Emery at his pot paraphernalia store, wouldn't comment on the matter.

Serge Fleyfel, a spokesman for the agency, said from Ottawa that he couldn't confirm whether Emery is under investigation for advertising during the 2004 election campaign.

A decision by the commissioner of Elections Canada on any probe would be posted on the agency's website, Fleyfel said.

Emery said Giles also gave him a warning letter Monday advising him to register as a third-party advertiser in the current election.

Government officials seemed to have learned from his website, www.cannabisculture.com, that his party had created 20,000 End Prohibition cards to promote the New Democratic Party, Emery said.

The cards, 10,000 of which are destined for B.C. and Ontario, call on would-be voters to support the NDP because it favours modernizing marijuana laws.

The cards also suggest ending prohibition would shut out organized crime and gang violence and stop gun crime.

"Now, alas, I have trouble,'' Emery said, as he turned serious for a minute about his upcoming extradition hearing.

"Even getting charged might be enough to have bail revoked, let alone getting convicted so it concerns me in that way.''

Emery maintained, though, that he doesn't regard his oversight as a big crime.

"But definitely under my circumstances it's better for me to not get in trouble with the law.''

Kirk Tousaw, Emery's lawyer, said the Elections Canada Act is long and complicated and that few people would actually read it.

The maximum penalty for someone who unknowingly violates the Elections Act is three months in prison or a $1,000 fine or both, Tousaw said.

"Our intent is to fully co-operate with Elections Canada to rectify the situation the best we possibly can,'' he said.

"This is not a situation where for example a big corporation spends half a million dollars in advertising and then plays hide the ball with it.''

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killer12382

Goodbye Marc.

I wonder if they'll put him in a high security prison or just some work camp when he gets convicted in the US?

I also wonder if he'll be fighting for marijuana reform after he gets done doing 10 to life here in the states?

Making prisons here in America is a fast growing industry that creates good jobs (unless you can't leave).

no_problems

Probably not after serving a LIFE SENTENCE....

He might if he only gets 10 or 20...

MrIMStoned

I know that after being imprisioned in some foreign country for 10 years I would be super dedicated/pissed off.

__________________
"In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right. For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable what then?"

killer12382

No need to worry.....the american prison system will beat any and all desire to cause trouble out of him. Bubba will see to that.

 

MrIMStoned

Its funny how some people would say "desire to cause trouble" when some others may say "passion for justice". I guess it all depends on your perspective.

TheNewGuy

Mailing marijuana seeds into the US (which is against US law) is not what I would call "a passion for justice". A passion for money maybe, not justice. He could have avoided ALL of this crap if he just stuck to dealing within Canada.

__________________
"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~P.J. O'Rourke

killer12382

What he needs to do is start crying like Steve Kubby and start babbling about how he'll die in a US jail.

killer12382

He's not the only one selling seeds to the US. I bet they all do.