MPS WORK TO BLOCK EXTRADITION OF B.C.'S 'PRINCE OF POT' TO U.S.

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

Three MPs -- Libby Davies of the NDP, 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, widely known as "the Prince
of Pot."

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.