Canadian Politics

Canada — U.S. border works both ways

The Canadian left is up in arms (pardon the militaristic expression) over the arrest of B.C. Marijuana Party leader Marc Emery and two of his associates. The three were arrested in Halifax and British Colombia at the request of the U.S. government after an American grand jury returned indictments against the three for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.

The charges stem from Emery’s Internet business where he sells marijuana seeds. While selling or otherwise distributing seeds are legal in Canada, trafficking in marijuana seeds is a criminal offence south of the border.

The news of the arrests was met with the predictable Canadian responses. Cries of "sovereignty, sovereignty" could be heard from sea to sea to sea. With so many attacks on our sovereignty lately, it’s a wonder if this country can survive much longer. It’s probably only a matter of time before Defence Minister Bill Graham, in another valiant attempt to exercise Canadian sovereignty, will show up uninvited in Vancouver and light up a joint. And of course, this wouldn’t be Canada if the extradition request of the Americans wasn’t classified as "political persecution", thereby rendering that phrase practically meaningless. Lost in all of this whining was the fact that the arrests were made, and search warrants executed, as a result of a B.C. Superior Court judge being satisfied that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Emery had committed offences within the United States.

There is however, very little chance that Emery and his buds (pardon the pun) will ever be turned over to the American justice system. Even if a British Colombia court orders that the "Prince of Pot" be extradited, he cannot be sent to the United States to face trial unless Irwin Cotler, the Minister of Justice, okays the request. Barring any great political change between now and the time that Emery is ordered extradited, it will never happen. Like many other places in Canada, the governing Liberals are declining in the polls in B.C. as a result of the sponsorship scandal. As Canada’s left coast has not warmed to Scary Stephen and his Conservative Party, the decline of the Liberals is translating into gains for the NDP. If the Liberal government ever did order Emery to be sent to the United States, support for the pro-legalization (not pro-decriminalization) NDP Party would soar. No Liberal government would dare sent Emery to the U.S. if it meant risking a substantial loss of support for the Natural Governing Party.

A couple of weeks ago, after a spate of shootings in the Toronto area, Mayor David Miller blamed the shootings on "lax" gun control in the United States. At least to Miller’s credit, he did say that quoting statistics that show that crime is going down isn’t good enough any more which puts him to the political right of Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, who’s still quoting them. But according to Miller, the fact that Canadian grown criminals are engaging more and more in shoot-ups, is the fault of the United States and that country’s gun laws.

To sum up, where Canada has lax marijuana laws in comparison to the United States, anything that results from this difference is the fault of the United States. And where Canada has tougher gun laws than our southern neighbour, any results from this difference is also the fault of the U.S. Much like Bin Laden and the rest of the Islamofascists, what would Canada ever do if we didn’t have the Great Satan to blame for everything?

To expect the United States not to enforce their own country’s drug laws is just as ridiculous as expecting Americans to change their gun laws to stop the flow of guns into Canada. Despite the wishes of David Miller and the potheads, it’s not going to happen.

The real irony is that many of the American guns that do find their way into Canada are purchased with money obtained from the sale of marijuana in the United States. Our lax marijuana laws are in part responsible for the proliferation of guns on Canadian streets. But that’s okay — we are a sovereign country after all. But those who seem to think that Canadians should be allowed to sell illegal substances in the United States don’t care about that.

The border really does work both ways — and of course, everything bad is the fault of the United States.

Arthur Weinreb is an author, columnist and Associate Editor of Canada Free Press. His work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Men's News Daily, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck and The Rant. Arthur can be reached at: aweinreb@rogers.com

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