CITY TAKES ON PRINCE OF POT

A legal battle with city hall could see B.C.'s 'Prince of Pot' getting
smoked out of his Downtown Vancouver headquarters.

Marc Emery faces drug charges in the U.S. that could land him behind
bars. But it's a simple dispute over a city business licence that
threatens to hit the outspoken marijuana advocate where it hurts - in
his pocketbook.

Emery says the city has refused to issue him a licence for the
businesses he runs on the 300-block of West Hastings Street. Emery
claims the city won't issue him a business licence because of his 2004
arrest and conviction in Saskatchewan for trafficking - he says a
witness saw him passing a joint at a rally.

"It's interesting they're being such tight-asses about that one
conviction. We've been here since 2001. We've never required a
business licence up until now," said Emery, who suspects the apparent
newfound interest in his vocation can be traced to next year's 2010
Games.

"It's just harassment," Emery said. "They just don't want me around
for the Olympics."

At a business licence hearing next week, Emery plans to argue he has
done everything demanded of him to get a licence, including thousands
of dollars in renovations.

The city's chief licence inspector, Barb Windsor, told 24 hours she
couldn't comment on the issue since the matter is now before council.