Categories: Capital Read, Inside the Queensway

Meanwhile, the Greens were suspiciously silent, other than the occasional sound of someone asking if anybody had seen his housekeys.

by kadyomalley on Saturday, September 20, 2008 5:38pm - 35 Comments

Apparently, it really is IKYABWAI Day on the campaign trail. Earlier this afternoon, the ITQ inbox received the following from the Liberal Party of Canada:

Layton must come clean on Marijuana Party deal
 OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jack Layton must come clean with Canadians about the terms of his secret deal with the British Columbia Marijuana Party and the self-styled “Prince of Pot,” Marc Emery.

The New Democrats lost two of their high profile candidates in B.C. this week when their flagrant and overt drug use came to light on YouTube videos. Both Dana Larsen (West Vancouver- Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country) and Kirk Tousaw (Vancouver Quadra) were extensively connected with the BC Marijuana Party and its founder Marc Emery, as well as being involved in NDP policy development and fundraising.


In a CBC interview aired yesterday, Mr. Emery revealed the long-standing deal with Jack Layton:

“The deal was Jack Layton and the NDP would continue to advocate decriminalization of marijuana. In exchange, we would bring thousands of new members to the party, which we’ve done.” (CBC, “The National”, September 19, 2008) [...]

Jack Layton must immediately answer the following questions:

  • What are the specific terms of the deal he made with Marc Emery and the Marijuana Party?
  • How much money have Mr. Emery, the Marijuana Party or other drug activists raised for the NDP?
  • Does the NDP still plan to use these funds now that they are beginning to distance themselves from their drug activist candidates?
  • How many other NDP candidates have close ties with extreme wings of the drug legalization movement?
  • Why did the NDP’s candidate screening process not identify problems with these candidates when evidence was on public websites like YouTube? Or was the NDP fully aware of the videos and simply hoping they would stay under the radar until after the election?
Less than an hour later, a response from the NDP, which claimed that “the same release, word for word, could have been issued raising questions of the Dion Liberals and their ties to the Marijuana Party” – and then proceeded to do just that:
[...] Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has not “come clean” with Canadians about the terms of his deal with the former Marijuana Party Marc-Boris St-Maurice.

The former leader of the Marijuana Party, who ran against Prime Minister Paul Martin in the 2004 general election, quit and joined the Liberals in 2005.

“I believe that if any party will ever legalize marijuana in Canada, it is the Liberals,” St-Maurice said in a statement, “And I hope to bring my knowledge and expertise on this issue to help the Liberal Party develop new policies, programs and legislation which address the marijuana situation.”
(CBC.ca , February 28, 2005)

St-Maurice also donated $1000 to Stephane Dion’s leadership campaign. SOURCE

Stephane Dion must immediately answer the following questions:

  • What are the specific terms of the deal he made with St-Maurice and the Marijuana Party?
  • How much money have Mr. St-Maurice, the Marijuana Party or other drug activists raised for the Dion Liberals?
  • Do the Liberals still plan to use these funds now that they are beginning to distance themselves from their drug activist supporters?
  • How many other Liberal insiders have close ties with extreme wings of the drug legalization movement?
ITQ can see only one way to resolve this, and we’re putting it out there in the only format we can be sure that everyone stuck in the war room on a sunny Saturday afternoon will understand:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARC EMERY MUST COME CLEAN ON  ANY DEAL, SECRET OR OTHERWISE, WITH NDP, LIBERALS AND/OR ANY OTHER POLITICAL PARTY

(If only to put a stop to what could otherwise be another few dozen rounds of press release ping pong.)
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  • Stan

    The liberals must have a secret deal on the carbon tax with Danny Williams as well. Nothing else would keep Danny’s piehole shut.
    Why don’t the NDP ask about that?

  • Wassim

    People really need to stop using the expression ‘secret deal’.

  • catherine

    As to “secret deals”, it is mainly the fact that Emery says something and Layton absolutely denies it that stirs up the intrigue.

    Had Layton simply responded that, yes, Emery has supported us and we share the common goal of legalization and continue to, it would not seem “secret”. Denying makes one wonder what Layton is hiding. That and saying your candidates weren’t forced out when someone claims to have evidence they were.

  • Two Cents

    Warren, what’s wrong with teh erm secret deal? Isn’t that what Dion has with May?

    Or would you rather use the term hidden agenda?

  • catherine

    How can it be a secret, two cents, when the leaders openly announce it?

  • http://www.michaeltripper.com Michael Tripper

    that Liberal press release had me joining the Green Party because it was so asinine – Emery is a deluded egomaniac and anyone who saw the original video on YouTube could see it was just Layton saying come join/support the party.

    The Libs coulda had me but that press release was so stupid it could not be ignored.

    Full disclosure: I’ve worked as a designer/production manager for Emery’s CC magazine and can state those experiences have me less than enthused with Mr Emery – looks like the YouTube video was edited from the one I saw with Emery wearing a Burger King Crown and ass-clowning around as the “prince of pot”.

    One of the the most bizarre thing I’ve seen: Emery a hardcore Libertarian who idolizes Ayn Rand as a guiding force in his life and who wants to end medicare for seniors over 70 endorsing the NDP.

  • Tim

    “Does Saint-Maurice have a criminal record — I don’t think so.”

    Boris had a bench warrant out for him in Thunder Bay for nearly seven years. He cleared it up last year when he was seeking a liberal nomination. Wisely, Dion’s people have told him to put his political aspirations aside for the time being…

    http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n420/a06.html

    ONTARIO. POLITICIAN GUILTY ON 2000 POT CHARGE

    Driving a car plastered with marijuana leaf logos is bound to catch the eye of police – particularly if you’re en route to the annual Hempfest celebration.

    That’s what happened to a Montreal man on July 21, 2000, a judge heard yesterday.

    Marc Boris St-Maurice, leader of the Marijuana Party at the time, was charged after three grams of pot were found in the vehicle.

    Now a Liberal, he plans to seek the nomination in a Montreal riding. St-Maurice, 38, who was not in court yesterday, pleaded guilty.

    He was fined $150 and a further $300 for missing his Sept. 11, 2000, court date.

  • http://www.abandonedstuff.com/ saskboy

    Meanwhile I’m still pissed off at TV news for reporting about a new plasma TV in a McDonalds, instead of using the wasted 2 minutes to let Marc Emery speak to the nation about how the government tolerated his tax dollars from the sale of marijuana seeds, but not when the Americans told the Conservatives to jump, and they asked, “How high?”

  • wallyj

    Why not—-For immediate release,on a sunny Sunday afternoon—- Marc Emery and Marc-Boris Ste-Maurice must come clean on any deal with any party? Or are we to immediately forget that the Liberals may have made a deal with someone else?

  • Jack Mitchell

    I’d support the Marijuana Party if only they weren’t in favour of decriminalisation/legalisation.

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