OTTAWA WILL LET COURTS RULE ON EMERY EXTRADITION

OTTAWA -- A Justice Department spokesman says the U.S. government is
within its rights to request the extradition of B.C. pot activist Marc
Emery, and the request will be allowed to run its course in the courts.

Chris Girouard said Justice Minister Irwin Cotler cannot take a
position on the case now because he will have the final word on Mr.
Emery's extradition, after the courts have ruled.

Marijuana activists have called on the federal government to reject
the U.S. extradition request, saying the United States has much
harsher policies on marijuana than Canada. Under U.S. law, Mr. Emery
would face a minimum sentence of 10 years in jail if convicted of
selling marijuana seeds in the United States.