I'm confused about some things here. When did the FBI come into Canada to arrest Emery? Did I miss something obvious here?

Emery pleaded guilty and made a deal for a sentence of 5 years. Why did he plead guilty if he's not guilty? Why is he in Canada right now and not in a US prison? Oh yeah, the government had not yet signed off on his extradition - he was actually supposed to go to the US last September. He was free on bail until the extradition process was finalized.

So why are people freaking out about a deal that's been done for a year now, and is finally going through? Why are people acting like this is a surprise?

And Emery will likely be back in Canada soon anyway, as it's believed that part of his plea bargain with US prosecutors was that he be allowed to serve his sentence here.


What really pisses me off, though, is Emery's comments made in today's Province:

Canadians will be "very, very angry" if he was sent to the U.S., he said, because it will signal that the justice minister will have turned a "tin ear" to the country's sovereignty.

What the fuck does this have to do with Canada's "sovereignty"? The US didn't come barging into Canada to take one of our citizen's away. Marc Emery made a fucking deal with US prosecutors and knew he would be extradited. How can he make a deal, and then blame the government/justice minister for allowing that deal to go through?

Marc Emery is a fucking goof, and I actually hope he doesn't get to come back (he probably will) and spends some time in a hardcore prison.

You can't gauge substances on a single harm indices -- rather, you must compare them in different aspects (e.g. more harm to liver or brain etc. over x time).
Marijuana use has always been linked to increased schizophrenia rates.

Marc Emery is an honorable man.

He never once stepped foot in the US. He did not do anything illegal on US soil. If the US was really after the seed companies why dont they shut down the hundreds of seed companies not only operating in the US but storefronts as well.

The reason Emery is being targeted because he is the face of the Marijuana Legalization movement.

This would be like if Canadian RCMP went to China and jailed people for eating dogs.

See, that's the thing. Much like many other "evils", it's only evil because it hasn't been around since "ye auld days". That's what I mean, though--why can't people just take some time and do some research?

Yo, Tony, calm the fuck down before I have to give you points.

A) You're right, plea bargains are often there to prevent long drawn-out trials and complicated potential additional prosecutions. That's why they're offered--"I'll give you a deal and your friends can get out of this if you take responsibility". That way the prosecutors can say things like what Eric has--"He knows he was guilty, that's why he pled guilty! It's obvious, why would an innocent person plead guilty?"

It's the same reason that a lot of people pay a traffic fine even though they know they could fight it and beat it. On a completely different scale, mind you--but the same basic concept.


Also, much like Noir I'm far from a pothead. I just like to A) play the devil's advocate B) get my questions answered. I seriously still cannot fathom why marijuana is still illegal and there has been so little research done on it, yet alcohol (which has had a LOT more research and just as much negative publicity) is still legal and undisputed (other than by some fringe groups). It's nuts to me.

Canada turned their backs on him!!!

...How?

You should stop reading those one-sided portrayals of Emery. Ever since he dropped out of high school he's continuously snubbed the authorities. Whenever he dislikes a law, instead of fighting to get it changed he goes ahead and breaks that law and pushes the boundaries daring the authorities to do something about it. Imagine if everyone in society behaved that way and decided "I don't like that law, I'm not going to follow it."

His plea deal to save his partners never went through. His current deal and extradition have nothing to do with it, so stop trying to make it sound like he only did it because he's "honorable". What other choice did he have? To let them do gown with him? You might as well say that if I find a wallet with $500 and return it to the owner that I'm some sort of "super citizen" for doing the obvious that any person in the same position would do. The reason he plead is because there was an extradition hearing coming up and he plead to avoid that hearing. In other words, he knew he was going to get serious time, so he plead out to get less time - not to be "honorable".

What Emery did was the exact same thing as a person on trial finding out the prosecutor found a piece of key evidence that would convict him, and then plea to get less time. There's nothing honorable in it at all.

This is what plea deals are about - to get less time and more favorable conditions (like getting to serve part of your time here in Canada). Innocent people don't plea to something they didn't so (unless you're a complete idiot). Guilty people who know they're going down make a plea deal to end up serving less time.

Isn't he a lawyer?

sorry dudes, i was just really pissed off at the canucks loss.

Do you think Abortion would be legal in this country if Morgantaler hadn't continued to perform what were considered "Illegal" abortions in the beginning of his fight?

How about Nelson Mandela or Desmond Tutu defying apartheid laws?

Sometimes non-violent disobedience is necessary.

theres a good documentary on bc bud right now on cbc