Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC) Copyright: 2015 Metro Canada Contact: http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775 Author: Matt Kieltyka Page: 4 FEDERAL LIBERALS REJECT JODIE EMERY'S BID FOR NOMINATION Wife of 'Prince of Pot'. Emery was running federally in East Van Marijuana activist Jodie Emery won't be running for the Liberals after all. After a year of speculation and headlines, the federal Liberal party officially ended Emery's hopes of running federally in Vancouver East by rejecting her nomination papers. Emery, the wife of "Prince of Pot" Marc Emery, said she was notified with an email Friday explaining that the party's green light committee, "upon careful review," decided she was not a qualified candidate and would not be able to contest for the Liberal nomination. Emery believes her bid failed because her activism, and marriage to Marc, is an easy target for attack campaigns. Even then, she was confident of challenging for the nomination. But that changed after long-time incumbent NDP MP Libby Davies announced she would not seek re-election in Vancouver East, she said. "It was fine for me to run when it was a no-hope riding. You couldn't pay someone to run against Libby, who is a role model parliamentarian," said Emery. "But when she announced her decision to retire, it got very serious. The Liberals want to put everything they have into the riding." Liberal spokesman Olivier Duchesneau confirmed Emery's bid had been rejected, but declined to say why. "We can't get into specific reasons of green light committee decisions," he said. "I can confirm ( Emery) is not running as a Liberal candidate. "We're committed to open nominations, but that does not mean everyone can have their name on a ballot." Emery, who has ran previously as a Green Party candidate, said she will continue to support the Liberals, believing them to be the best bet for marijuana legalization. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt