SirBlazinBowl
New Member
The arrest and possible extradition to the United States of one of Canada's most well-known marijuana advocates has many people in Nelson, an oft-noted hub of pot culture, taking notice.
Last week, Canadian citizen Marc Emery, referred to as "The Prince of Pot" in an RCMP search warrant was picked up by police in Halifax and his Vancouver shop was searched at the request of American law enforcement agencies. Two other employees at the Vancouver store were also arrested.
Emery, the leader of the B.C. Marijuana Party and a driving force behind Cannabis Culture Magazine, was released on bail Monday and will now await extradition hearings. If sent to the States he could face minimum 10-year prison sentences for drug charges stemming from a mail order seed business he runs.
"I think it's a complete outrage and it's an infringement on Canadian sovereignty," Alan Middlemiss, a co-owner of Nelson's Holy Smoke Culture Club, told the Daily News.
"We've known that the DEA [America's Drug Enforcement Administration] has been active in Canada beyond their jurisdiction for quite some time. We know that they have an office in Vancouver," Middlemiss said. "It would be a travesty if the government was to extradite him."
The DEA set up an office in Vancouver in 2003. There is also a DEA office in Ottawa.
Middlemiss went farther, warning that if may not be a stretch to think that the DEA could be active in the Nelson area. Donald Skogstad, a local lawyer who has participated in many cases involving marijuana laws, also voiced concerns about American police presence in Canada.
" I think it's a sovereignty issue," he said. "Why do we need the help of another country to enforce our own laws in this country? But that's what the DEA is doing here. You know, is this Colombia or is it British Columbia? You sometimes wonder. In the drug area it seems like we sometimes have progressive ideas about changing the laws but regressive ideas about using American police forces."
Skogstad said that the drug policies of American authorities are out-of-step with the beliefs and policies of all other western, democratic nations.
"I think the average Canadian would tell you that they have no interest in prosecuting Marc Emery for doing that, maybe even the average American would say that. But the American authorities say otherwise. They're the guardians of our morality, are they not...They put themselves into that role."
Skogstad said that Canadians officers involved in the Emery case could not refuse to assist American law enforcement agencies. According to Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, Canadian officers, including Nelson RCMP or city police, should the request ever come, must assist in American criminal investigations.
"The treaty operates in parallel. The Americans have no advantage in the treaty, they'll just use it more," he said. "The only thing [Canadian law enforcement officers] can say no to is DEA agents coming here. DEA agents can operate in Canada but only with permission. If police here are asked to assist in a criminal investigation for charges in the U.S., then they must, by treaty, do so."
Inspector Henry Paivarinta of the NCP confirmed that international treaties set out how law enforcement agencies across the border deal with each other.
"Our role would be no different than any other law enforcement agency that is involved with the DEA," he said.
Paivaranta said that the Emery case is a matter of interest for police here and they will be keeping an eye on the proceedings.
"Because it is happening here in British Columbia and because of the high profile of the players it'll be interesting to see how it pans out."
Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl (420Times.com)
Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Nelson Daily News
Contact: news@nelsondailynews.com
Website: https://www.nelsondailynews.com
Author: Nelson Daily News
Last week, Canadian citizen Marc Emery, referred to as "The Prince of Pot" in an RCMP search warrant was picked up by police in Halifax and his Vancouver shop was searched at the request of American law enforcement agencies. Two other employees at the Vancouver store were also arrested.
Emery, the leader of the B.C. Marijuana Party and a driving force behind Cannabis Culture Magazine, was released on bail Monday and will now await extradition hearings. If sent to the States he could face minimum 10-year prison sentences for drug charges stemming from a mail order seed business he runs.
"I think it's a complete outrage and it's an infringement on Canadian sovereignty," Alan Middlemiss, a co-owner of Nelson's Holy Smoke Culture Club, told the Daily News.
"We've known that the DEA [America's Drug Enforcement Administration] has been active in Canada beyond their jurisdiction for quite some time. We know that they have an office in Vancouver," Middlemiss said. "It would be a travesty if the government was to extradite him."
The DEA set up an office in Vancouver in 2003. There is also a DEA office in Ottawa.
Middlemiss went farther, warning that if may not be a stretch to think that the DEA could be active in the Nelson area. Donald Skogstad, a local lawyer who has participated in many cases involving marijuana laws, also voiced concerns about American police presence in Canada.
" I think it's a sovereignty issue," he said. "Why do we need the help of another country to enforce our own laws in this country? But that's what the DEA is doing here. You know, is this Colombia or is it British Columbia? You sometimes wonder. In the drug area it seems like we sometimes have progressive ideas about changing the laws but regressive ideas about using American police forces."
Skogstad said that the drug policies of American authorities are out-of-step with the beliefs and policies of all other western, democratic nations.
"I think the average Canadian would tell you that they have no interest in prosecuting Marc Emery for doing that, maybe even the average American would say that. But the American authorities say otherwise. They're the guardians of our morality, are they not...They put themselves into that role."
Skogstad said that Canadians officers involved in the Emery case could not refuse to assist American law enforcement agencies. According to Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, Canadian officers, including Nelson RCMP or city police, should the request ever come, must assist in American criminal investigations.
"The treaty operates in parallel. The Americans have no advantage in the treaty, they'll just use it more," he said. "The only thing [Canadian law enforcement officers] can say no to is DEA agents coming here. DEA agents can operate in Canada but only with permission. If police here are asked to assist in a criminal investigation for charges in the U.S., then they must, by treaty, do so."
Inspector Henry Paivarinta of the NCP confirmed that international treaties set out how law enforcement agencies across the border deal with each other.
"Our role would be no different than any other law enforcement agency that is involved with the DEA," he said.
Paivaranta said that the Emery case is a matter of interest for police here and they will be keeping an eye on the proceedings.
"Because it is happening here in British Columbia and because of the high profile of the players it'll be interesting to see how it pans out."
Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl (420Times.com)
Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Nelson Daily News
Contact: news@nelsondailynews.com
Website: https://www.nelsondailynews.com
Author: Nelson Daily News
