MPS MOVE TO BLOCK MARC EMERY'S EXTRADITION

Marijuana activist Marc Emery's battle to avoid going to a U.S.
prison got a boost this week in the House of Commons.

Three MPs -- Libby Davies of the New Democratic Party, Ujjal Dosanjh
of the Liberals and Scott Reid of the Conservatives -- presented a
petition signed by more than 12,000 Canadians asking Justice Minister
Rob Nicholson not to sign extradition papers that would send Emery
south to serve a five-year sentence for selling marijuana seeds online in 2005.

His removal order has been sitting on the justice minister's desk since Jan. 8.

Nine weeks have passed and he hasn't made that decision, so something
is keeping him from doing it," said Emery, noting the Conservatives
could score political points with young voters if his extradition is halted.

All three MPs said Emery's extradition smacks of unfairness.

In Canada, a person convicted of selling marijuana seeds faces a fine of $200.

In the U.S., a person could be sentenced to life in prison for the same crime.