My Covid-19 Diary 5: Toronto Trippin'

After being on the road, it's hard just staying at home all the time. Though it's only been about two months since we got back, it now seems like a lifetime ago .... 

Last fall, Janet and I hit the open road to celebrate her retirement. First Japan [LINK] and then Florida [LINK]. With stopovers inbetween; back home in Toronto at Christmas, and for a February protest rally or two. [LINK] Before we wrapped up our winter tripping in Santiago de Cuba.

Originally, we'd planned to stick around Toronto for only a month or so. Then go to our trailer in the Land o' Lakes [LINK]. Fully enjoy the Canadian spring, summer and early fall in the great outdoors. 

Instead, the Covid-19 pandemic struck. We've been grounded at home, ever since.

I'd planned a Cuban travel blog when we got back. That was interrupted by the pandemic too. It'll follow shortly. First, a few, more, catch up notes:

Covid-19 is truly, a silent, uncanny enemy. Since our close brush with Costco and the Zombie Apocalypse, I've acquired a real aversion to going outside, even just for our groceries and household supplies. [LINK]

One never knows where the nefarious coronavirus lurks ...

During November, we were in Japan. Apparently, that was before the pandemic struck. We saw some fellow Chinese travellers, but can't recall having any contact with them. 

We regularly rubbed shoulders with the German and Italian tourists In Cuba. Some of of them, as it turns out, were carrying the virus. We seem okay, but being good Canadians, are still staying at home anyway. 

As seniors, we're at high risk. Plus, who knows who's asymptomatic? Maybe the shopper next to us? The sales or stock clerk?

Better safe than sorry! Since crossing Costco off our shopping list, we decided to try grocery shopping at the nearby Metro Downsview instead. Saw lots of shoppers in gloves and masks. But only about half of them were social distancing. 

There were plenty of signs and announcements over the PA, but it's very easy to make mistakes, when the aisles are narrow. 

Still, it seems like many shoppers simply can't measure and stay 2 metres apart. Or maybe they think that either wearing PPE's or practising social distancing, but not both, will do?

All things considered, I'm not surprised that the infection rate here in Toronto hasn't yet shown a steady decline.

Plus, without proper testing, we've no idea how widespread the virus really is. Where it's spread. Nor if it's always being properly reported either, when there's an outbreak at the stores.

It disturbs me to no end. Sometimes, the tension is almost palpable. Janet's really good about it all, but likes to go shopping anyway. Like a big kid, she just wants to get out. Is going stir crazy.

I feel her pain. But am more hard assed about the safety precautions. Meanwhile, she's stuck indoors with me now all the time. Poor girl!

Still, we've been together almost twenty years. Are apt to verbally spar and squabble at the best of times, as is our way. Fortunately, we're very used to each other by now. We're still keeping it together, quite well. 

It's May now. It's been a very long stretch. Our condo is spacious. Very comfortable. Low maintenance. If need be, we can hang on here indefinitely.

Still, even the overhead flights to nearby Pearson International Airport have now all but stopped. Replaced with a quiet uncertainty among the endless hours of waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting to safely get back outdoors again; the new order of our day. 

Oh to be social distancing way out in the woods, in the Land o' Lakes! In my mind's eye, Janet and I are lounging on our summer porch, with two tasty steaks on the BBQ. I'm toking on a big, fat, outdoor sized reefer. Inbetween frequent kayak trips. Instead of this .... 

And so, we patiently await news on whether trips to cottage country will be allowed come the May 18th Victoria Day long weekend. When Toronto is still the provincial epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic?

And we're still tripping! Kinda sorta! Lately, I've been vaping some lighter, hybrid cannabis strains to rest and relax, legalization style. 

I'm finishing off the last of the Emblem Nebula, that I was telling you about. A little OHM leaves me feeling pretty dreamy and sedate. Or I'll fire up some 808 Headband, for a happy, euphoric buzz. Plus, I enjoy the old one-two punch of a lil' Pine Tar Kush, when it all gets too much. Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.

Last Saturday, a 100 mg THC Smiley Pop had me ... er ... smiling. A lot! That really livened things up!

Come evenings, Janet and I enjoy a pot of Yoni tea; 300 mg THC and 100 CBD per 30 gm pack. That's a lot of tea! 

It's a different kind of tripping, but very calming and relaxing. We'll cuddle together on the couch. Watch TV. Have our fun. Then drift gently off to sleep.

So, as we wrap up two months at home, we're still hanging in there. Hope you are too!

Be well!

Keep trippin' the good way!

David C.

COMMENTS:

My COVID-19 Diary 1: Canuck Pandemic!

We're back at Toronto's Pearson International Airport from our winter travels. It's sheer pandemonium. Next day, the WHO officially declares the COVID-19 a pandemic. Today, the panic is quite palpable. So dense, you can feel it in the air. 

We join the long lines snaking through the jam packed terminal. Beneath the pensive gaze of the custom and border guards, some in medical masks and gloves. Some not. Faced with a seething, angry mob. 

People push. Shove. Heave to and fro. There's lots of line jumpers. Angry shouting matches. Janet and I are stuck, at the weary end of our long, winter journey. Two tired travellers seeking repatriation; to just be back in the safety of our own home. But faced with a frightening spectacle. A pandemic that's suddenly turned very real, for us. Along with everybody else and their mother, desperate to get home asap, before the shit hits the fan.

This winter, we've been to Japan, Florida, and Cuba. I've got a headache. We've both got the sniffles. All symptoms of the virus. But also very typical for this time of year. So who knows?

The politics of the Great 2020 Pandemic are maddening enough to burst a blood vessel!

Here in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford's Conservative government has eliminated sick days for our lowest paid workers. If away, they must pay for sick notes, they can ill afford. While Doug the Thug claims that no cost will be spared to ease the economic crisis. Perhaps for his big, fat corporate friends that is! 

Hello Corporate Socialism! Watch the big business bail outs begin. While the little guy once again, gets stuck with the bill!

Stateside a befuckled President Donald Trump has been all but in complete denial. Crying fake news. Wasting valuable time before he flip flops. Promising that he'll keep the stock market open for his big, business buddies. Other partners in crime. A small consolation for the poor working American stiff. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is in self imposed social isolation for two weeks. There are so many words and terms that seem benign in our new COVID-19 lexicon, eh? 

His wife Sophie was diagnosed with the virus, so he's being prudent. Cautious. And very Canadian. Likewise, Toronto Mayor John Tory self isolates too, after possibly being exposed to the virus, while travelling over seas. 

Two different political. Different levels of government. Both setting a good personal example for a jittery public. Like them or not, and I'm not usually sold on either, it's a big plus!

Now a days, these emergency measures are called "flattening the curve". Think better safe than sorry. An ounce of prevention. Nipping it in the bud. 

Italy is in lockdown. Whole cities in China quarantined. Welcome to COVID-19; a new respiratory virus for which there is no inoculation shot, yet. Nor clearly defined public and medical procedures yet in place. Everything is evolving by the minute.

In Ontario, we're caught with our pants down, so to speak, amongst all Ford's health cuts to ... ahem ... balance the conservative provincial budget.

Hell, truth be told, testing centres are just now being set up here in Toronto and across Ontario. A full week after we've returned home! 

Most of us probably don't have the virus, though most everyone is very worried that they do. 

So here we are, trapped in our very own Toronto, Ontario, Canada existential crisis!

What can Janet and I do? Japan's close to the epicentre, but we travelled there in November. As for Panama City Beach, Florida? Or Santiago de Cuba? Could we have gotten infected there?

We've decided to self isolate for two weeks. Take it from there .....

Anyway, here we are, back home from our travels. But quite frankly out of everything. The kitchen shelves bare. 

My ... er ... unregulated weed man provides free home delivery, so I quickly load up on Rick Simpson Oil, a THC tincture, and some nice bud to tide me through the crisis. Calm minds will prevail! In our home, anyway!

The pharmacy renews all my other prescription for three months, over the phone. Delivers them too. 

But we absolutely need to make a grocery run to Costco. And so we do.

Oh no! A frantic crowd quickly strips a skid of water bottles clean, no sooner than it's wheeled out on the floor. 

The mad frenzy continues. Get this -there's no more toilet paper left! Anywhere! Explain stockpiling toilet paper for me, please! 

Only in Canada you say?

A couple grab at the Maple Syrup. Madly staring at us. Not so little knives shooting from their dazed eyes. 

Jeez. No problemo. it's yours!

It's only fitting, I suppose, that come March 2020 we are faced with yet more crisis, shock and awe. I should be very upset.

But here Janet and I are stuck at home for two weeks. With a great excuse to relax and do absolutely nothing! 

Family and friends call to check up on us. Our building super and neighbours too. 

I smoke another doobie. Put on some more tunes. Janet couch surfs the huge backlog of all her favourite TV shows on the PVR. 

How surreal! Despite the gnawing uncertainty, all is well. Still, it's hardly a happy occasion. And after so much adventure and excitement on the open road, the homebound boredom is definately setting in. 

Sigh. Alas.

Anyway, with spring just around the corner, we'll be off to the Land o' Lakes soon enough. 

Meanwhile, I hope you are staying well. Taking good care of yourself too, wherever you are. 

Remember, it's okay to go outside for a nice, refreshing walk. Some exercise, Maybe in the park. Or the countryside. Just so long as there aren't lots of people around.

Works fine for me. It was getting too peopley outside, anyway. 

Heh. heh. Er .....

Though last time I looked out our window it was rather eerie. Busy, bustling Weston Road is now quiet and empty. It's rather unsettling, but let's hope for the best. 

We are all in this together. So let's take every reasonable precaution, for both ourselves and the sake of others!

And hey -we've still got the internet! Expect lots more of my blog site updates in the daze ahead!

Pax/
Salud!

David C

COMMENTS:

Cannabis Culture 5: A Court Settlement?

 

The Cannabis Culture 5 were back at Toronto's old city hall courthouse November 7th. It was another, long, drawn out, tedious morning full of procedural wrangling, with the case finally being remanded until December 4th.

Here's an important takeaway: It seems the pretrial resolution discussion process is going fairly well. A feisty Marc Emery is even hopeful that a settlement can soon be reached!

To wit: Our High Prince o' Pot advises Oh Cannabis that the crown isn't seeking jail time, which he's quite willing to serve. Instead, it sounds like they are raising the Prohibition 2.0 ante, seeking a huge, much larger fine than any we have so far seen in a case resulting from the ongoing, cross Canada dispensary raids. Eternally optimistic, our PoP has high hopes that a deal might still be reached by December 4th! Marc explains @ [Videoclip]

Meanwhile, Jody Emery expressed her dismay over the awful, supply shortages Canada's medical cannabis users still face prior to legalization in Spring 2018. Cannabis Culture, like our other, indie, craft weed dispensaries, was already up and running to meet our unfilled prescription needs, with a wide variety of otherwise still available products and strains. Ironically, as the police raids continue full thrust, Canada's much touted, corporate, licensed producers still won't be able to adequately meet  Canada's medical cannabis needs, let alone the new legal recreational demand, come this spring! Jodie speaks @ [Videoclip]

The CC5's Erin Goodwin tells Oh Cannabis that she's of course enthusiastic to wrap up the case asap. However, as Erin points out, it was only through active civil disobedience over the years that Canada's prohibition laws have been changed. One doubts the good fight to safeguard our basic civil rights will be over on December 4th, let alone next spring, come what may, on any number of fronts. Nonetheless, as a result of cannabis activism, better toking days are definitely on their way! Erin looks ahead @ [Videoclip]

LINKS

News Updates/ Links:  Oh Cannabis News Y View @ Fall1 @ Summer @ May-June @ Spring 2 @ Spring 1 @ Jan-Feb @ December

On Cannabis Culture and Toronto's Wild West @ HERE!

On Marc Emery + The Ontario's Pot Busts @ THERE!

Oh Cannabis: More On Ontario's Dispensary Busts @ HERE!

Oh Cannabis: On LGBTQ + Inclusivity @ HERE!

Free The Emerys -The Cannabis Culture Bust @ THERE!

Oh Cannabis Culture: The Project Gator Busts @ THERE!

A Toke With Marc + Jodie Emery: @ HERE! 

Toronto Protest Videos @ THERE!

CC5 in Court @ HERE! 

Also follow me live on Twitter @davidchiarelli

COMMENTS:

Oh Cannabis Culture: On LGBTQ + Inclusivity!

It’s high noon! I’m at Marc Emery’s Cannabis Culture 461 Church St. dispensary and lounge in Toronto Canada’s historical “gay village”.

Not even the nitty, gritty bluster of a cold, wet, miserable Toronto winter day can keep us away! Hardly! Come lunch hour? The crowds are already eagerly lining up seeking a high time respite from it's cruel ravages.

It’s a decidedly downtown crowd. It's a mad, happy mix of Ryerson university students, construction workers, tired shoppers and the office crowd from surrounding downtown Skyscraper National Park. Everyone gladly rubbing shoulders with Cannabis Culture’s LGBTQ Church Street regulars.

We're here for some good vibes, great times and a lot of potent, mind expanding and most excellent weed. Cannabis Culture’s latest offerings, for all tastes and budgets, greet us from the large sign posted overhead on the shop wall:
 

 

Since last fall, Canada’s High Prince o’ Pot and Cannabis activist Marc Emery has been busy breaking new ground here in Canada's largest city. He'd proudly opened Cannabis Culture’s first Church Street digs in October. I reported it here on my blog. So did a lot of other more mainstream Canadian media sources. [See "Links" below]

In the finest spirit of political activism and "in your face" civil disobedience, Marc has since succeeded in creating a very successful and vibrant LGBTQ user friendly dispensary and safe Cannabis lounge and dispensary. It's smack dab downtown, a short hop from the Eaton Centre and Dundas Square, a ground zero of downtown Toronto life!

Toronto’s Cannabis movement knows the wrath of  City Mayor and "Reefer Madman"John Tory. We've suffered a Toronto Wild West of his creation, while we await a federal legalization bill promised by Ottawa this spring. The Toronto Police “Project Claudia” dispensary raids continue unabated.

In the news and in the courts, Marc is continuing the good fight with his goal of opening 200 Cannabis Culture dispensaries across Canada in 2017. At Cannabis Culture Church Street, he's created a lively and gay downtown weed shopping and party hot spot landmark. It's a bright light on Toronto's progressive landscape, deserving our political and business support!

Mark the Doorman [with a “k”] directs traffic and provides security at the front door. He’s also quick to supply friendly cannabis culture etiquette tips. Which line up? How to take pictures? Or wiggle in to talk with Marc? Cannabis Culture is most decidedly a LGBTQ2 positive, safe and 4/20 friendly space! One with a very mixed but comfortable crowd, in a relaxed downtown Toronto setting.

As one makes our way through the dispensary, our eyes are diverted to the collage of news photos and articles lining the walls. They provide a fascinating insight into the history of Toronto’s gay community; a story of police harassment, bathhouse raids, and decisive protests that created change.

Others highlight the good fight to legalize cannabis. There's “gay” protest soldier in arm's Allan Ginsberg [“Pot is Fun!”], and the Le Dain report. An iconic image of a handcuffed but undaunted Cannabiz Culture Battle Grrrrrl Erin Goodwin. In the finest of protest style, she's being lead away undaunted by Toronto Police, during Mayor John Tory's current, ongoing “Project Claudia” dispensary raids.

 

Further along the walls towards the back lounge, are many more posters, highlighting the entertainment night schedules. There's live music on the 1^st and 3^rd Mondays of each month. Comedy nights. Also the monthly, free “Ganga Queen’s” drag show. A bright, colourful, new poster informs us that the next one's March 10th, from 9-11pm.

The lounge is very kool and laid back. As a “straight” toker, I never feel uncomfortable. I like the lively chatter which is friendly, inclusive, and progressively orientated. Much moreso than what we often find in other more seemingly “respectable” downtown clubs, bars and hangouts in the dark, mean streets of any big city, downtown Toronto included!

Truly, Cannabis Culture, Church Street lives up to the one and only “warning sign”  on it’s walls. This is, “No place for homophobia, transphobia, sexism, racism or hate. We have zero tolerance for intolerance.”

Marc also re-directs receipts from the shop's growing sales to various LGBTQ and two spirited charities and groups. Further donations are also being used to help with Syrian refugee relief, and the worldwide human right efforts of Amnesty International. It's a profit driven but politically progressive and viable business model that vibrantly reflects Toronto's sense of inclusivity and tolerance with our LGBTQ community. It provides a fitting gathering place our cities progressives can heartily embrace!

 

LINKS:

 

On Cannabis Culture and Toronto's Wild West: My blog on the Toronto Police "raid" at  Marc Emery's first Church Street location is @ Here!

 

On Marc Emery and Ontario's Dispensary Raids: The Peterborough Cannabis Culture bust. Covers a speech by Marc outlining his views and philosophy on legalization and the police dispensary raids @ Here!

 

Oh Cannabis Winter News y Views: More recent Marc Emery links. Also a lot of other stoner news links from Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the US is @ Here!

 

Oh Cannabis December News y Views: More news links. Includes exclusive audio video clips about the Montreal Cannabis Culture dispensary raids. A lot of other cool weed news stories too @ There!

 

My Statement on Medical Cannabis is @ Youtube!

 

Project Claudia: Toronto City Hall: A backgrounder @ There!

 

Note: "Oh Cannabis" is glad to highlight progressive Cannabiz initiatives. However, a "blogger" walking into your locale to take pictures and ask questions, rarely goes over well. So kindly forward me an invite, and let's see what we can do!

davechiarelli@gmail.com

 

 

Next Show: March 10th, same time, place ....

 

COMMENTS

On Marc Emery + Ontario's Pot Dispensary Raids!

Post Script: Owner Richard Standon's reopened the Peterborough Cannabis Culture dispensary on Tuesday, September 27th. It was raided and closed again on the 29th. There is currently a warrant out for Richard. Two of the employees are remanded on charges until Monday. More details @ Examiner My follow up blog @ Here!

Richard Standon y Marc Emery outside Peterborough Police HQ's!

“Plant the Seeds of freedom. Overgrow the government!” 

[Marc Emery 09-18-16]

Marijuana activist spirits soared high outside downtown police headquarters in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada Saturday! Not even a torrential rainstorm could dampen the enthusiastic crowd of Cannabis Culture [CC] dispensary supporters expressing their anger and dismay over Thursday’s raid on the newly opened Peterborough pot shop. Leading the charge? Busted CC dispensary store owner Richard Standon along with CC’s infamous Canuck marijuana activist Marc Emery!

Standon, now out on bail, announced plans to reopen the Peterborough outlet again in a few days. The crowd cheered wildly outside the ominously silent police station, despite the hard falling rain quickly turning our protest stomping grounds into a giant puddle. Emery then lead us out of the torrential downpour into the raided George St dispensary, it’s shelves stripped bare, for an candid, impromptu Q+A on his response to the thunderous rash of police pot dispensary raids now sweeping our province.

It was high times again -a new millennium pot protest love-in revival, led by Marc Emery; Canada’s most high profile and controversial marijuana activist, or as CNN has nicknamed him; our “Prince of Pot”! The Peterborough CC shop was once more packed to the rafters, but this time with eager, angry, pissed off activists! And simply concerned medical and recreational marijuana customers of all ages and stripes! Each keenly expressing their deep, heartfelt frustration over the ill effects of the Trudeau government’s badly flawed legalization process in Canada!

Our fears soon went up in smoke as Marc spoke passionately for over 2 hours, expanding on CC’s mission statement, inspiring the faithful with an action cry for the “power of activism and peaceful civil disobedience to advance Cannabis law reform and demonstrate what legalization should look like”.

In Solidarity with Peterborough CC's Richard Standon!

So. What was said? What is to be done?!?

First the basics! Marc spoke from a soundly progressive business point of view, explaining that Cannabis Culture takes great pride in paying it's workers a decent living wage. CC hires locally to create jobs within the community. They also cover any legal expenses resulting from the dispensary raids to protect those in their employ. Considering that CC plans to open 200 more dispensaries across Canada by next year that certainly seems a good standard to set! Perhaps an interesting business proposition too, for anyone who's so inclined. Indeed as Marc stressed, now's the time to get in on the ground floor of CC’s indie marijuana craft dispensary movement by starting one up following his model.

Note well dear reader: Regretfully, last week's Peterborough CC dispensary raid is but the latest dazed and confused episode of our own unique brand of Ontario Reefer Madness, as we await the Federal government legislation to legalize marijuana across Canada in 2017. Mayor John Tory’s Wild West show has simply spread further outside Toronto into Ontario’s “Wild East”. Peterborough City Hall has also decided to order its constabulary [“Me too! Me too!?”] to try to nip the cities first, new budding CC marijuana dispensary, since Trudeau announced legalization in the spring!

Marc was quick to emphasize that it is City Hall and not the police whom decide to lay charges! It’s the same in Peterborough as in “Toronto the Good”, or rather the “Bad”, especially considering all the senseless marijuana turmoil and grief that’s ensued. As Marc points out, municipal police don’t make local political decisions nor do they set the regulations. Moreover, with marijuana dispensaries, there aren’t any municipal regulations in place, period, to enforce. That's a result of the legal vacuum existing at the provincial and federal level of government in Canada.

In the absence of any clear leadership from Trudeau in Ottawa or Ontario’s Wynne government, the tragedy we now face across the province is truly deep and profound!

Also pretty crazy!

                                  

Marc notes that owner Richard Stanton, now out on bail, can’t even enter his own shop! That only 2 ounces of weed were seized and no cash! That local restaurants and businesses in the depressed downtown area had stood to benefit from the heavy new influx of overwhelmingly peaceful, everyday customers filing into CC’s new shop. 

Marc Emery squarely places blame for what happens next at the foot of Prime Minister Trudeau for refusing to decriminalize pot while we await the Federal Liberal government’s new legal marijuana laws. Good, decent, everyday citizens imbibing medical and recreational weed, along with our counties enthusiastic crop of budding, craft boutique dispensary owners are still unnecessarily being busted and getting criminal records as we wait. Even with legalization pending in 2017, there aren't any assurances that the befuckling legal nightmare will be over anytime soon. Far from it!

As Marc warns, “Legalization will be a legal mess.” Most regretfully, our federal legalization committee consists of a dog’s breakfast of unlikely, former, anti-pot heads including former Reefer Madness “Health” Queen Ann McLennan. Also former Toronto Police Chief Bill “G-20” Blair, among others of their ilk. 

Some early indicators of the legal problems ahead can be found within the misguided and highly controversial scientific, medical and legal half truths and faulty premises in Trudeau’s “Towards Legalization” discussion paper being used to framework the process. [LINK] Not to mention Ontario Premier Wynne’s highly discriminatory and oppressive Bill 45, seriously limiting our future rights to buy and enjoy our weed freely without unnecessary hassle. [LINK]

According to Marc, we face a very serious dilemma! Are we really free citizens living in democracy? Then why are we being manipulated and dictated to about what we can "legally" put into our own bodies? And why is the government, along with the Big Pharma industries and other such con men, treating us like big, bad criminals? Like little children? Telling us alcohol is okay, but marijuana is not?!?

Prohibition? It’s good for the police budget! Or perhaps, as Marc claims for their “inferior egos”. Seems when it comes to pot everybody benefits except for the very most vulnerable citizens whom our elected government are supposed to be here to serve, the police to protect!

According to Marc, parents, teachers, priests, police and politicians are still guilty of working together to suppress the real truth about marijuana’s medical, and naturopathic benefits! They need to be stopped from spreading their ugly reefer madness lies now! Taken to task! As Canadian citizen's we need to clearly and forcefully tell them that this is NOT OK!

Tragically, Ontarian's are remaining especially quiet while our new marijuana laws are being set! Perhaps with the faint, misguided hope that our "leaders" are somehow actually looking out for us?!? As if! We proceed at our own peril!

As Canadian activists we certainly must all help pave the way for more constructive, reasonable changes to our marijuana laws across the country, province by province, and in Ottawa! Especially in Ontario, before it’s too late! Hence Marc’s call to action!

Unlike in British Columbia, we need to get off our duffs! Sound marijuana reform can only come about by very loudly insisting and acting upon our all too often allusive rights and freedoms as truly, free Canadian citizens living in a real democracy! Fighting to change our oppressive and highly discriminatory marijuana laws provides an excellent rallying point for political activists of all stripes from across our country. Hopefully it's one that many of us, as free thinkers, can appreciate. 

To paraphrase the Bible, as Marc is apt to do, from little seeds grow great things!

Moreover, as he wrote on at least one protester's placard, we all desperately need to rally together for the good fight to, “Plant the Seeds of freedom. Overgrow the government”. 

It’s a worthy catchphrase that says it all! In his Q+A Marc outlined a very pragmatic approach to political action. Everyone needs to work together. Provide a very loud and clear barrage of phone calls and complaints to all three levels of government, municipal, provincial and federal, to tell them in no uncertain terms that we've had enough of all the BS!

Unlike in BC, Ontarian's are far too complacent. As a result the authorities here don’t even think twice before trampling roughshod over even our most basic human rights and freedoms. Are we really prepared to just allow Trudeau, Wynne and Tory’s Reefer Madness agenda to unfold as it will? Accept without reservation, their new corporate agenda for growing, buying, selling and using marijuana across Canada? In our own province? Cities?

Of course not! We shouldn’t be!
 

Marc called upon Prime Minister Trudeau to take the lead in immediately calling for a halt to the rash of marijuana busts and dispensary raids! How can we even think that moving “Towards Legalization” is going to be anything but one huge legal mess with all the dithering and ham fisted government maneuvering going on?
 

He pointed out that medical marijuana patients are still finding it especially difficult to fulfill their medical prescriptions using the discriminatory, restrictive and highly impractical mail order procedures that the government has set for its licensed producers, such as Tweed. 

We are referred to legal aid Lee Hathaway, who then explained that we can now file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Lee explained that legal costs will be covered for any medical marijuana patient who wants to lodge a formal complaint. It’s a new legal option, only available since August 18, which very few of us were made aware of. Gee, I wonder why?!?

Our familiar activist rallying call of “No Justice! No Peace!” should never just consist of empty words. What compensation does Marc think is in order? To make up for all the unjust harassment and discrimination that has ensued under marijuana prohibition?
 

Don’t exclude the dispensaries from the legalization process! Marc insists that our craft dispensaries should be entitled to 20% of the new upcoming legal marijuana trade to compensate for all the awful police raids. 

Marijuana consumers and business operators alike, who've been charged under prohibition, are owed an official apology. Criminal records must be expunged and financial remuneration provided for any jail time served. Also 50 years of free pot in compensation for the grave injustices suffered would be nice!

Will Marc’s call to action prove successful? As he points out, at the heart of our problem is the government’s fear of "free thinkers". Marc expects to be arrested again very soon. It's happened all ready 2 dozen or so times while he’s championed the good fight over the years. As the saying goes, "Into everyone's life a little rain must fall". In Marc's case, it's been a flood! Don't be too surprised if he gets arrested again, in the very near future!

Still, this isn't really all about Marc Emery per se. Saturday afternoon’s Peterborough Love In provided an excellent opportunity for developing a protest movement out of the growing crowds gathering to meet and learn more about how to effectively fight the battle for legal pot in Ontario and across Canada. To go spread the word that legalization must first and foremost be "for the people", not big business and big government! 

It's especially interesting that many of the protesters, like in Peterborough are now from a very new and blended generation of avid political activists, medical-recreational marijuana consumers and just plain, salt of the earth, everyday citizens alike. It's hardly just a crowd of older pot heads and politicos who's caught the buzz! On Saturday, Marc left them with very excited and enabled with some do-able ways to flex their protest wings and take flight!

As Marc's Q+A drew to a 4:20 pm close many of the younger protesters sat enthralled as he reveled us over … er … munchies with his many often hilarious, absurd, real life tales of marijuana bummers, burns and rip-offs from over the years. The stories were only too familiar for an older protest generation who've long suffered the thrills, spills, and chills of marijuana prohibition. However, it's a great relief to see that there is now also finally a new budding political activist front, in Peterborough at least, mobilizing to help finally take our long Ontario fight across the finish line towards legalization!
 

Marc Emery is eager and ready to try help jump start our Ontario protest movement. He's doing so with a refreshing BC style that's both alive and kickin’! He stands in direct contrast to the lethargic activist stupor we otherwise find across our province. We shouldn't be too surprised if he is arrested again soon to try to silence him and strike fear into the new activist front. What then?

As Marc noted in wrapping up Saturday’s Q+A, he has often proved to be most effective while in jail. Last time when he was imprisoned in the US, 4 states legalized marijuana! Imagine; this time a whole country will cross the line! Of course, to do it right takes an effective, enabled activist movement. If need be, Marc is clearly quite ready, willing and able to provide us with a martyr for the cause! Moreover, his long range plans include a South American legal marijuana initiative. It will be done Che Guevera style, after he's finished lighting the legalization fires in Canada. In the meantime, Marc Emery has definitely arrived here with us in Ontario, in no uncertain terms, to help point the way!

NEWS LINKS

Peterborough police raid CC pot shop @ MyKawartha

Two charged @ JK

Richard Standen out on bail @ Peterborough

Protest planned Saturday @ Examiner


Cannabis Culture reports @ HERE!

Saturday's protest news report @ Chextv

Marc Emery video from Peterborough @ Facebook

My blog "On Cannabis Culture + Toronto's Wild West" @ HERE!

Regular Updates in my September News y Views blog @ THERE!

COMMENTS: