WATCH ABOVE: Marc Emery is back on Canadian soil after spending just over four years behind bars in US for marijuana-related offences. Randene Neill has more.
VANCOUVER – Canada’s ‘Prince of Pot’ is back on home soil tonight.
Marc Emery spent just over four years behind bars in the U.S. for selling marijuana seeds to Americans.
Much has changed while he’s been incarcerated, including opinion on legalization.
Overall, 59 per cent of Canadians say the use of marijuana should be legalized in this country. The support is strongest in B.C. at 70 per cent and nationally men are slightly more supportive of legalization than women.
Emery entered Canada Tuesday afternoon and did not waste any time picking up where he left off.
“We’re going to have to reclaim our democracy and get at least marijuana legalized next election,” he told supporters. “Then maybe after that we should go and do what Stephen Harper originally said he would do and attack the democratic deficit. How did we end up with so many cowardly gutless politicians in this country who stay silent on the key issues of the day?”
WATCH: Marc Emery speaks to BC1 about his time behind bars:
In the time he’s spent in jail, Emery’s gained some high profile allies. A former B.C. Attorney General, former Vancouver mayors, the current mayor and B.C. and Nova Scotia’s Medical Health Officer have all called for pot’s decriminalization.
“Justin Trudeau, if he makes marijuana legal, will end 45 years of a vicious prohibition that’s been a civil rights violation the whole time,” said Emery.
WATCH: Marc Emery greeted by wife, supporters:
Emery and his wife Jodi will return to Vancouver Sunday where she will run for the federal Liberal nomination in Vancouver East.
– With files from Randene Neill
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