THE PRINCE OF POT DESERVES B.C. SUPPORT

It would be a fascinating and revealing political debate that would
tell us a lot about B.C. Too bad it will likely never happen.

B.C. Liberals and New Democrats are much too careful to say publicly
what they really think about Marc Emery, the Prince of Pot. He might
soon be a hot political issue, but provincial politicians want little
to do with him. To ask an MLA about Emery is to discover how many
incredibly important other things they have to do right now -- goodbye.

Emery is scheduled for an extradition hearing Jan. 21. The U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency wants to take him across the border and try him on
charges relating to the marijuana seed business he ran flagrantly and
successfully in Vancouver for years.

A conviction for selling seeds to U.S. customers would likely land
him in prison for a number of years. That's an outcome he publicly
dreads, but has been courting for ages.

Emery is a martyr, and his case is a good example of how
uncomfortable it is to be around martyrs. He's a relentless
self-promoter and professional agitator who's given Canadian and U.S.
authorities fits for years.

His arrest almost three years ago at the request of the DEA is
payback for all the embarrassment he's created. After years of
advocating legalized pot, smoking joints in front of TV cameras and
making a pile of money selling seeds around the world, he was busted
and his business was raided by Canadian police acting on the
request/order of the DEA.

Delivering him to the front lines of the "war on drugs" would be an
embarrassment to Canadians and a terrible example of caving in to the
biggest public policy failure since Prohibition. But there's a good
chance that's exactly what's going to happen.

Extraditions are based on a treaty in which Canada and the U.S. agree
to deliver suspects across the border when the offence is considered
a crime in both countries. A judge will take a look at the evidence
and probably conclude there's a case to be made against Emery.

The federal justice minister can intervene and there are routes of
appeal, so the case will likely continue for years.

But eventually B.C. politicians should take stock of this case and
stand up and oppose this extradition.

They've contributed to the difference in the cultures of the two
countries and that difference is the central reason sending Emery to
the U.S. is wrong.

Selling marijuana seeds might be a crime in both countries. But in
Canada, and particularly in B.C., it's considered a trivial offence,
on a par with jaywalking. The law is enforced haphazardly and rarely.

Emery went out of his way to get arrested countless times in B.C. and
was snubbed by the authorities. He listed his occupation as marijuana
seed vendor on his income tax returns.

His Vancouver shop was a fixture on the dope scene. Vancouver police
politely looked the other way while various major U.S. media showed
up and did profiles on the wondrous Canadian attitude toward pot. He
led the B.C. Marijuana Party into several elections and no one raised
an eyebrow.

B.C.'s relaxed and tolerant view of pot grew and flourished under
various governments over the past generation. B.C.'s official
attitude toward him for years -- apart from a few minor fines -- was
total indifference.

But now it's a federal case. Ottawa is unlikely to step in on Emery's
behalf. He's antagonized almost every party at one time or another.
More important, refusing extradition would likely incur some payback
the next time Canada wants to bring a suspect over the border for trial.

It's one of those cases where the system will work its way through a
problem. Protocols will be observed and priorities will be served.

But the end result will be wrong.

Emery's career is proof that his occupation is not considered a crime
by the authorities here. So the extradition treaty should not apply.

I'd be fascinated to see provincial politicians stand up and voice
their true feelings about this case. If they reflected their
constituents' feelings, they'd be speaking against this extradition
in passionate terms.

If they expressed their own personal views, a fair number would agree
that sending Emery to a long prison term in the U.S. is wrong.

But with the exception of Svend Robinson, who publicly objected
shortly after the arrest, they're mostly constrained by delicacies,
procedures and the fear of rocking the boat.

It says a lot about Canadian sovereignty when a B.C. citizen may be
transported to the U.S. and subjected to a long prison term for
something that officials here obviously no longer consider a crime.