EMERY FORCED TO WAIT LONGER

Vancouver-based pot activist Marc Emery will have to wait longer to
obtain his business licences after yesterday's hearing at city hall
ended without a decision.

Emery, director of Avalon Sunsplash Ltd., has three properties on the
300-block of West Hastings: 420 Convenience Store, Cannabis Culture
Magazine and Marc Emery's Cannabis Culture Headquarters.

He believes that the city is putting him through an "insulting process
of having to essentially beg them" to renew his licences.

"I'm a great excuse for them to spend hundreds of thousands of
taxpayer's money on fruitless investigations," Emery said. "(It's) an
opportunity to intimidate a legitimate citizen who's probably one of
the most important political figures in this city."

Emery is trying to renew his licences before pleading guilty in a
Seattle courtroom next month to selling marijuana seeds over the
Internet to Americans.

It's part of a plea deal that saw two of his associates receive
probation for their involvement.

Emery is likely to be sentenced to at least five years in jail while
his wife would help run his businesses.

"We run one of the most respected, well-run businesses in the city in
a difficult neighbourhood like the Downtown Eastside," said Emery.

"I'm confident we're going to get our licence like we fully deserve."