T
The420Guy
Guest
There was more than the usual buzz yesterday at the downtown Vancouver
headquarters of the B.C. Marijuana Party.
As news circulated, along with the pungent aroma of burning pot, that a
Senate committee had recommended the legalization of marijuana, party head
Marc Emery was busy bouncing among media interviews.
Emery, arguably Canada's best-known pot advocate, was visibly ecstatic and
admittedly stunned at the way the stereotypical stodgy senators had suddenly
become, well, dudes.
"It's a beacon of light from the Senate," said Emery, a mayoral candidate in
the city's November election. "It's wonderful. I was stunned by the
enlightenment in this report."
Emery called the report the "most far-reaching document of any Western
country or any place in the world" in regards to marijuana.
"It goes further than Switzerland, further than Holland and is certainly
light years ahead of the United States," he said.
David Malmo-Levine, another longtime pot legalization activist, said he was
"ecstatic."
He is heading to the Supreme Court of Canada in a few months on a pot
conviction, along with two others.
"I'm euphoric. I'm blown away."
Malmo-Levine will argue his own case before the nine justices, as he did
before the B.C. Court of Appeal, but now bolstered by the Senate committee's
pot pronouncements.
"The senators have gotten us all high out here on the West Coast," he said.
"I'm glad that age does not seem to remove common sense from your brain."
Malmo-Levine was found guilty of possession of marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking.
The B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, but a dissenting judge
stated the risk must be significant if Parliament is to intervene criminally
in people's lives.
The judge wrote that simple possession does not meet that test.
Malmo-Levine will be joined by two other Canadians -- convicted pot
smokers -- who will argue Dec. 13 that federal marijuana laws are
unconstitutional.
The much anticipated case was among 36 listed yesterday by the Supreme Court
of Canada in its busy fall docket, which begins Sept. 30.
The appeal covers three cases involving Malmo-Levine, Victor Eugene Caine of
Langley and Chris Clay of London, Ont.
All three argue that pot, if properly used, is harmless. Moreover, they say,
laws prohibiting its personal use infringe on the right to life, liberty and
security guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Scott Hearty, who works at the Marijuana Party Book Shop, passed a joint
around as he too wondered at the Senate's work. "I'm in awe," he said. "They
were supposed to consider decriminalization options and they said
legalization."
Still, Hearty is wary of the reaction in the House of Commons and by the
U.S. "There will be a lot of pressure on Ottawa from the U.S. government and
it's hard to say how they'll react."
But Emery said the Senate report might help the Commons.
"The Supreme Court will be greatly emboldened and empowered by nine Senate
members unanimously saying legalize marijuana," reasoned Emery.
"A lot of us suspect that all along the House of Commons wants the Supreme
Court to rule on this so they can go to the Americans and say, 'It's not our
fault. It was that Liberal-minded court.' "
Newshawk: CannabisLink.ca (CannabisLink.ca - Information and resources connected to cannabis in Canada)
Pubdate: Thursday, September 5, 2002
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Website: Canada.Com
Address: 200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada
Contact: provletters@pacpress.southam.ca
Author: Canadian Press
Webpage: MapInc
headquarters of the B.C. Marijuana Party.
As news circulated, along with the pungent aroma of burning pot, that a
Senate committee had recommended the legalization of marijuana, party head
Marc Emery was busy bouncing among media interviews.
Emery, arguably Canada's best-known pot advocate, was visibly ecstatic and
admittedly stunned at the way the stereotypical stodgy senators had suddenly
become, well, dudes.
"It's a beacon of light from the Senate," said Emery, a mayoral candidate in
the city's November election. "It's wonderful. I was stunned by the
enlightenment in this report."
Emery called the report the "most far-reaching document of any Western
country or any place in the world" in regards to marijuana.
"It goes further than Switzerland, further than Holland and is certainly
light years ahead of the United States," he said.
David Malmo-Levine, another longtime pot legalization activist, said he was
"ecstatic."
He is heading to the Supreme Court of Canada in a few months on a pot
conviction, along with two others.
"I'm euphoric. I'm blown away."
Malmo-Levine will argue his own case before the nine justices, as he did
before the B.C. Court of Appeal, but now bolstered by the Senate committee's
pot pronouncements.
"The senators have gotten us all high out here on the West Coast," he said.
"I'm glad that age does not seem to remove common sense from your brain."
Malmo-Levine was found guilty of possession of marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking.
The B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, but a dissenting judge
stated the risk must be significant if Parliament is to intervene criminally
in people's lives.
The judge wrote that simple possession does not meet that test.
Malmo-Levine will be joined by two other Canadians -- convicted pot
smokers -- who will argue Dec. 13 that federal marijuana laws are
unconstitutional.
The much anticipated case was among 36 listed yesterday by the Supreme Court
of Canada in its busy fall docket, which begins Sept. 30.
The appeal covers three cases involving Malmo-Levine, Victor Eugene Caine of
Langley and Chris Clay of London, Ont.
All three argue that pot, if properly used, is harmless. Moreover, they say,
laws prohibiting its personal use infringe on the right to life, liberty and
security guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Scott Hearty, who works at the Marijuana Party Book Shop, passed a joint
around as he too wondered at the Senate's work. "I'm in awe," he said. "They
were supposed to consider decriminalization options and they said
legalization."
Still, Hearty is wary of the reaction in the House of Commons and by the
U.S. "There will be a lot of pressure on Ottawa from the U.S. government and
it's hard to say how they'll react."
But Emery said the Senate report might help the Commons.
"The Supreme Court will be greatly emboldened and empowered by nine Senate
members unanimously saying legalize marijuana," reasoned Emery.
"A lot of us suspect that all along the House of Commons wants the Supreme
Court to rule on this so they can go to the Americans and say, 'It's not our
fault. It was that Liberal-minded court.' "
Newshawk: CannabisLink.ca (CannabisLink.ca - Information and resources connected to cannabis in Canada)
Pubdate: Thursday, September 5, 2002
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Website: Canada.Com
Address: 200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada
Contact: provletters@pacpress.southam.ca
Author: Canadian Press
Webpage: MapInc