NEW GROWTH FOR THE NDP

Jack Layton: Cultivating Support From The Stoners

In an effort to pick up left wing fringe groups [Jack] Layton appeared on
Internet network's Pot-TV and agreed to Emery's, the Marijuana Party's and
the cannabis community's peace terms in the War on Drugs.

Layton went further than just joking about inhaling or eating pot brownies.
He outright appealed to the stoner community by promising cafes, personal
grow­ops, no jail time, no fines, or harassment by The Man for grass if he
was elected prime minister. Layton spoke about legalization of marijuana.
This is the furthest any reputable candidate in Canada has ever dared to go.

Compare this to the Liberal's so­called decrim bill that heavily fines
possessors, slams growers and dealers with double the current sentencing
terms along with forcing judges to hand­out mandatory minimums.

The Liberal's are truly wagging the dog with this piece of legislation that
was cooked up in Washington. Anyone who thinks otherwise should contact me
about this pound of Mexican schwag I'm looking to sell at BC Bud prices.

"I grew up in the '60s," Layton confessed during the 18­minute video that
is making old skool NDPers a little nervous. Their leader lovingly referred
to the herb as "this wonderful substance," during the segment. The party
hasn't dealt completely with their leader's views on grass and currently
they don't have the platform he outlined in their election plank, though
Layton's personal election material does highlight his progressive view on
grass.

Emery admits, "Jack Layton's comments took them all by surprise. He's a
smart leader. He has dared the party to contradict him in public, which
they won't do. They know that statement is the future. That's where the
votes are. They know the young disenfranchised... are the people that they
need to bring on in to add strength to their other issues. The NDP is
pretty entrenched and they don't like change too quickly. Layton just
dragged them all along."There's no way the NDP or Layton can back down at a
later point from their legal weed stance. Layton not only openly and
intelligently discussed ganja on the program, but after his appearance he
also did Pot­TV station ids "You're watching Pot­TV, I'm Jack Layton leader
of the New Democratic Party…" which have been running randomly on all their
programs. The only way Paul Martin is going to get back the stoner vote is
if he introduced a Cypress Hill video on MuchMusic, at 4:20.

There's also a banner ad on Pot­TV encouraging everyone to join the party.
A new site, NDPot.ca, has sprung up promoting the message of peace. "We
must support a party that talks the talk and can get MPs elected to
parliament, and we must involve ourselves at the convention level to
introduce motions to further entrench anti­prohibition policy in this party."

This website is mostly made up of former Marijuana Party members who have
opted to pool their resources to assist NDP candidates in getting elected.
Their size has given them quick and impressive clout in the NDP West Coast
ranks. Emery, the sugar daddy of the Marijauna Party has opted to fold the
party in English Canada, telling its members to change their green hemp
wardrobe for NDP orange. The Marijuana Party will most likely run
candidates in Quebec, where the NDP doesn't have any base whatsoever.

The old time NDPers are still suffering from the shock and awe of the
enthusiastic Marijuana Party members signing up to join their ranks in
droves. "Over 1,000 people have given them $10 in the first several weeks
of our campaign," states Emery. With an election looming, Layton can use
the grassroots support of stoners and specifically their Prince of Pot, who
is actively encouraging all his readers and viewers to get the vote out.

Emery gives props to Layton for going after the disenfranchised,
three­million­strong, pot toking vote. "He made a smart move. And he's
building a national base. We have a huge number of people who are use to
showing up to rallies. We were looking for someone to vote for. I think it
has been very effective in English Canada. We'll be working with the NDP.
We're pretty united on that front." Emery concedes the only problem is that
one in ten people under the age of 25 vote, compared to eight in ten among
the seniors. There is a serious need, not just in the marijuana community
but among all young people, to get the vote out.

He tells me, "The important thing though, is that young people are
surprisingly—let's not use the word ignorant—but uninformed of the
political apparatus. I meet people all the time who ask me about the NDP,
who don't understand the structure of our government. In all likelihood,
people under 25 or even 30 have never voted before. They have no idea how
to do it. And what happens when they do do it. The thing is for them to be
excited... about voting. I'm saying get involved. We're going to try and
influence the 2004 election. We have a candidate that has expressed the
full legalization [of marijuana]. We would never support a compromise
candidate. We're very excited."

The Prince of Pot is almost giddy with the prospect of Cannabis Culture
editor Dana Larsen carrying the NDP flag in the West Vancouver­Sunshine
Coast riding. Larsen commanded a decent three per cent of the vote when he
ran as a Marijuana Party candidate in the riding, where grass is a major
issue. "Dana Larsen is a very credible candidate," Emery says. "It'll be a
tight race between the Conservatives and Liberals, and Dana might win as a
consequence. Before it was lock for the Liberals in a lot of ridings, but
now it's not certain anymore. [Prime Minister Paul] Martin makes people
nervous."

Closer to home, med­pot activist Alison Myrden is seeking the NDP
nomination in her Burlington riding. A long time closet NDP supporter,
Myrden is not only expected to hammer home the medical marijuana issue that
she has been so passionately involved in, but also plans on highlighting
traditional NDP issues such as a healthy environment, and affordable
housing. Myrden has a wonderful demeanor and claims, singing, "I'm Wonder
Woman."

The NDP has been very supportive of the outspoken, intelligent and
determined woman. They've assisted her in getting her nomination paperwork
together and she intends to submit it within weeks. She told me, "I'm en
route and they know well that I'm coming. They're helping me through this
because I've never done this before. This is totally new for me."
Eloquently expressing her point of view is nothing foreign to her.

Myrden is a media darling who believes that she would be an excellent
representative. "I can do anything that I put my little heart to. Just ask
anyone that knows me. In a nutshell, marijuana is not my sole issue.
Marijuana is my biggest issue right now because I have a really bad pain in
my face 24­7 that is called Tic Douloureux. I have issues with the
environment and using non­toxic products in your homes. I haven't had a
raise on disability in over ten years. That's a crying shame. My point is
that people on disability don't get raises and that is an issue for me.
Because I'm single I want a home that is affordable for me. I can't pay
outlandish prices because I am disabled and I am single. There have to be
houses made available to us. That's the bottom line."

Financing for Myrden's and Larsen's campaign is expected to come from
Emery, who is not only publicly professing his love for Layton, but trying
to back his words up with cold hard cash. "Marc pays for a lot of things
for me," Myrden says about the potential Emery cash. "He finances all my
lawsuits. He is a very dear friend. He even gave me money to attend a
medical marijuana conference outside of Montreal. He has footed the bill
for a lot of things."

The Prince of Pot has wanted to give the NDP oodles of cash to continue to
promote the pro­marijuana message. The only problem is that the NDP have
turned down his offers. "They are the only person or group that has turned
down my money," he says. "The NDP head office wouldn't take my money. I
offered them $5,000 with more to come, but they wouldn't take it. They
didn't think it would look right."

Unlike the Liberals, who may or may not have used illicit drug money to
finance a huge increase in their British Columbia membership, Emery's cash
is completely legit. "I pay shockingly high income tax [about $12,000 a
month]. I can give to political organizations. I told them, 'You know I pay
more in taxes than anyone who has given you money this year. I assure you.
This money is totally clean. I pay taxes on every dime I give you.' But
they wouldn't take the money. It must be nice. I've never met a political
organization that has turned down money. We must still make them nervous."

The marriage of the stoner community with the NDP couldn't have come at a
better time. Both need each other. Layton could use the momentum that youth
bring to an election to prop up the aging party just before the election.

With the litigation strategy handed a 6­3 loss at the Supreme Court the
only way Mary Jane is going to be as legal as alcohol is by electing the
NDP. Emery says, "We went to the courts and they're pretty much done. So
now we're re­doubling our efforts in the political realm. In the long­term
it might prove to be more fruitful to have political allies. Now that we've
been told by the courts that politics is our only avenue, then politics it is."