Canada // Current

Canadian man sues Iran for mother's prison death

The son of a slain Canadian-Iranian photojournalist will be in Quebec court Wednesday... more

viva_canuks
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Health Care in Canada - Street Interviews in Vancouver, BC

Every foreigner I've ever met has loved their Universal Health Care, but I kept... more

Lindsay_Caron
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1 comment

Coal, tar sands and Copenhagen Pt.3

If USA, Canada and China are committed to oil and coal, what will Copenhagen accomplish?

therealnewsnetwork
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10 hours ago
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Marc Emery vs. Roman Polanski: A Tale of Two Extraditions

Canadian libertarian publisher and activist Marc Emery faces extradition to the U.S. on charges related to selling marijuana seeds. Movie director Roman Polanski faces extradition to the U.S. on charges related to drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. While the Canadian government refuses to protect its own peaceful, productive natural-born citizen from extradition, Polanski’s adopted country of France is fighting to keep this confessed sex offender from facing the U.S. justice system.

Marc Emery is a quintessential citizen-activist. That is the message one gets from his life so far. Although he has had occasional run-ins with Canadian authorities over his marijuana activism, the worst punishment he experienced before his current arrest was two months in jail. For the most part, Emery was left alone, generating tax revenue for the government and employing numerous people through his publishing and retail businesses. He wasn’t harming anyone, so there was no urgency to deal with him.

Emery’s case contrasts sharply with another extradition case that has been in the news recently. On September 26, 2009, two days before Emery was taken into custody to await extradition to the U.S. on charges related to selling marijuana seeds online, world-renowned movie director Roman Polanski was arrested by Swiss police in Zurich. The Swiss picked him up because of a 1978 U.S. arrest warrant. In 1977 Polanski had drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl in Hollywood. Polanski admitted to the crime but subsequently fled to France to avoid a severe American jail term. He could not be extradited from France. Switzerland, however, has an extradition treaty with the U.S. When Polanski arrived in Switzerland, he was met with an arrest at the hands of the Swiss authorities.

Polanski has received support from many prominent American entertainment personalities as well as French politicians including President Nicolas Sarkozy. They do not believe he should be extradited to the U.S. to face the consequences of his crime. Their opposition to Polanski’s extradition, however, is entirely different from the opposition to Marc Emery’s extradition.

For one thing, Polanski committed a heinous crime. Raping a child is clearly execrable and leaves a very identifiable victim. Selling marijuana seeds isn’t obviously a crime, and is only made to be one through legislation. Furthermore, there were no “victims” of Emery’s crime. No one claims to have been harmed by him, and no one has urged the government to punish him. Canadians, for the most part, find him interesting, admirable, and entertaining. They do not think of him as someone deserving a stint in a prison.

Polanski was actually in the U.S. when he committed his crime, whereas Emery was always in Canada. Polanski can be sent back to the place where he perpetrated his crime. Emery can’t be sent “back” to the U.S. because he wasn’t there in the first place. Polanski was a fugitive from justice, but Emery did not run away from anyone and operated his marijuana seed business openly and transparently. Emery even paid income taxes from being a "marijuana seed vendor," an occupation he volunteered on his tax forms.

Generally speaking, extradition is a good thing. Criminals should not be able to escape the consequences of their crimes simply by moving from one country to another. In this respect extradition can play an important role in achieving justice. But Marc Emery hasn't tried to escape from anyone. He isn't running away from the consequences of his actions. In fact, he was openly and publicly declaring what he was doing and why. Being open and honest was part of his political strategy to liberalize Canada’s laws toward marijuana.

Emery's case isn't like Polanski's case at all. Polanski seriously harmed another person and then ran away to avoid punishment. Emery was openly promoting a particular political goal without any attempts to conceal his purpose or his methods. The distinction between the two couldn't be starker. This comparison helps to bring into focus the proper and improper use of extradition. It's clear that Polanski should be extradited to the U.S.; it's not clear that Emery should be extradited. In fact, taking a broad view of the situation, it is not merely unfair that Emery would be sent there for activities carried out in Canada; it's unjust.

Canadian libertarian publisher and activist Marc Emery faces extradition to the U.S. on charges related to selling marijuana seeds. Movie director Roman Polanski faces extradition to the U.S. on charges related to drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. While the Canadian government refuses to protect its own peaceful, productive natural-born citizen from extradition, Polanski’s adopted country of France is fighting to keep this confessed sex offender from facing the U.S. justice system.

http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/content/marc-emery-vs-roman-polanski-tale-two-extraditionsCanadian libertarian publisher and activist Marc Emery faces extradition to the U.S.... more

copperdragon
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24 hours ago
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Canadian advocacy groups demand government declare water a human right

Now why has Canada and the U.S. refused to do so to this point? Any guesses?

JanforGore
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1 day ago
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Copenhagen: No sense of urgency

US and Canada have a convenient stand off with China and India

therealnewsnetwork
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FLY GIRL - Natural Born Artist - Official Music Video (HQ)

The official debut music video - FLY GIRL by NBA also known as Natural Born Artist. A... more

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3 days ago
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Palin Tricked Agian By Canadian Comedian

At a recent stop on her "Going Rogue" book tour, Sarah Palin told Canadian comedian... more

Dejan_Croatia
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4 days ago
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3 comments

Obama, Harper and Copenhagen

Tzeporah Berman: Canada far behind even the US when it comes to renewable energy

therealnewsnetwork
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5 days ago
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Jodie Emery to Speak at Vancouver Island University

CANNABIS CULTURE - Marijuana activist and BC Green Party policing critic Jodie Emery,... more

copperdragon
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7 days ago
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The 411 on Oil in Canada (Infographic)

People often overlook Canada as a large oil exporter. Some interesting stats in this... more

digitalfever
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7 days ago
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Canada is #1

congrats

bushama
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7 days ago
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Palin tells Canada to get rid of public health care

VIDEO: Walsh was pushed out of the Borders outlet as Palin tried to answer the... more

bansheewail
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7 days ago
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Swine Flu Vaccines Pulled From Canada

Canadian doctors have been advised not to use a batch of 170,000 swine flu vaccines... more

Jenime
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7 days ago
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CBC The Fifth Estate Airs AE911Truth Friday, Nov 27

Richard Gage, AIA On September 11 of this year, we were interviewed on September 11... more

Jenime
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7 days ago
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resist 2010

Resist 2010: 8 Reasons to Oppose the 2010 Winter Olympics, is a short, fast-paced... more

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9 days ago
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"The Tar Sands Blow"

Dear Canadian Leaders: I will not allow Canada to exploit the world's dirtiest oil... more

adaminaction
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12 days ago
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Jack Layton Demands Public Inquiry on Torture Allegations

"What Does the Government Got to Hide, Let Colvin Speak." Canadian diplomat Richard... more

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12 days ago
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Cannabis, Tobacco and Alcohol Use - Comparing risks of harm and costs to society

Health-related costs per user are eight times higher for drinkers than they are for those who use cannabis, and are more than 40 times higher for tobacco smokers, according to a report published in the British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Journal.

According to the report, “In terms of [health-related] costs per user: tobacco-related health costs are over $800 per user, alcohol-related health costs are much lower at $165 per user, and cannabis-related health costs are the lowest at $20 per user.”

The review, authored by researchers from the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia at the University of Victoria and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse at the University of Ottawa, stated: “Alcohol is used by a very large number of people with the vast majority of these using in low- or moderate-risk ways. Conversely, cannabis and tobacco are used by far fewer people. The majority of cannabis use is low- and moderate-risk, however, while the majority of tobacco is high-risk.”

The study reported that social costs applicable to marijuana are primarily “enforcement-related.”

The authors concluded: “The harms, risks and social costs of alcohol, cannabis and tobacco vary greatly. A lot has to do with how the substances are handled legally. Alcohol and tobacco are legal substances, which explains their low enforcement costs relative to cannabis. On the other hand, the health costs per user of tobacco and alcohol are much higher than for cannabis. This may indicate that cannabis use involves fewer health risks than alcohol or tobacco.

“These variations in risk, harms and cost need to be taken into account as we think about further efforts to deal with the use of these three substances. … Efforts to reduce social costs related to cannabis, for example, will likely involve shifting its legal status by decriminalizing casual use, to reduce the high enforcement costs. Such a shift may be warranted given the apparent lower health risk associated with most cannabis use.”

According to a recent Rasmussen national poll of 1,000 likely voters, Americans believe by more than two to one that alcohol is “more dangerous” than marijuana.

http://blog.norml.org/2009/11/17/do-the-math-tobacco-related-health-costs-800-booze-related-health-costs-165-pot-related-health-costs-20-any-questions/
http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications/cannabis/bck/7Health-related costs per user are eight times higher for drinkers than they are for... more

copperdragon
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15 days ago
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Jodie Emery November 13, 2009

Jodie brings us up to date on what's happening with Marc, as we try to get him out on... more

copperdragon
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18 days ago
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1 comment

tagged w/ Canada

Canadian man sues Iran for mother's prison death

Health Care in Canada - Street Interviews in Vancouver, BC

Coal, tar sands and Copenhagen Pt.3

Marc Emery vs. Roman Polanski: A Tale of Two Extraditions

Canadian advocacy groups demand government declare water a human right

Copenhagen: No sense of urgency

FLY GIRL - Natural Born Artist - Official Music Video (HQ)

Palin Tricked Agian By Canadian Comedian

Obama, Harper and Copenhagen

Jodie Emery to Speak at Vancouver Island University

The 411 on Oil in Canada (Infographic)

Canada is #1

Palin tells Canada to get rid of public health care

Swine Flu Vaccines Pulled From Canada

CBC The Fifth Estate Airs AE911Truth Friday, Nov 27

resist 2010

"The Tar Sands Blow"

Jack Layton Demands Public Inquiry on Torture Allegations

Cannabis, Tobacco and Alcohol Use - Comparing risks of harm and costs to society

Jodie Emery November 13, 2009

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