Pubdate: Thu, 15 Jan 2004
Source: View Magazine (Hamilton, CN ON)
Copyright: 2004 View Magazine
Contact:  http://www.viewmag.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2393
Author: Matt Mernagh

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."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart