Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jan 2014 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc. Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html Website: http://www.theprovince.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Peter Darbyshire Page: A14 Referenced: Marc Emery's "Happy New Year" Prison Blog: Looking Forward to Freedom: http://mapinc.org/url/zx9MvBwT EMERY SAYS IT'S 'ESSENTIAL' LIBERALS WIN ELECTION TO END POT PROHIBITION Marc Emery says that when he is out of jail he will embark on a Canada-wide speaking tour in support of the Liberal Party. In his latest blog post from a U.S. jail, where he is serving a five-year sentence for selling marijuana seeds, Emery says he and his wife Jodie will speak at rallies in 30 cities in nine provinces, starting Sept. 8, 2015. Emery says he is backing the Liberals under Justin Trudeau because of their policy of marijuana legalization. "The intent will be to impress upon the Canadian cannabis culture to get out and vote - and vote against the currently-governing prohibitionist Conservative party," Emery says in the post. "It is essential that the Liberal Party of Canada, under leader Justin Trudeau (who explicitly favours legalization of cannabis, along with legalization being very explicit Liberal Party policy), forms the next government, with input from the also laudable Green Party MPs and New Democratic Party MPs." It's shaping up to be a busy year for Emery, who is scheduled to be released from jail July 9 but doesn't expect to be back in Canada until Aug. 15 - he has to spend time in an immigration processing centre before he can return home. Once back in Vancouver, Emery will return to work at the Cannabis Culture Headquarters store on West Hastings, where he will be helping out on the ongoing Sensible B.C. campaign to legalize pot. He will also be publishing The Illustrated Cannabis Canadian History, "a 104-page comic book of the remarkable history of hemp, cannabis and activism in Canada from the 1600s to the present day." The book is written by former Cannabis Culture editor Dana Larsen and illustrated by artist Art Penn. Emery's release will come in the midst of high-profile marijuana reform just south of the border, as Washington state, along with Colorado, allows the legal sale of marijuana. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom