OTTAWA - Canada's biggest marijuana activist is backing a Conservative candidate for leadership.
Marc Emery is donating to the campaign of Maxime Bernier and says he hopes he becomes leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
"I don't even know what his position on marijuana is and I don't care because for me Maxime Bernier represents a long-term future on all the issues," Emery told Bell Media National Affairs Specialist Evan Solomon on News Talk Radio 580 CFRA.
Emery, who was imprisoned for years in the United States for dealing in marijuana seeds, is a Libertarian and says he agrees with everything he's read of Bernier's platform.
Bernier is also a Libertarian and consistently calls for low taxes, open markets and deregulation.
"I am an Ayn Rand acolyte - she's the most influential philosopher of my life - I read her starting in 1979, I have read every work by Ayn Rand and all of the great neo-classical thinkers, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, Murray Rothbart, this has been my life's passion for 35 years," Emery told Solomon in a radio interview on Ottawa Now. "Maxime is a handsome gentleman, and he's articulate and bilingual, I and I think 'What's not to like about this guy?'"
Emery said that officially legalizing marijuana is now a settled policy with the Liberal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and that he now has concerns about how cannabis will be regulated, accessed and traded in the future.
The co-founder of Cannabis Culture is openly selling marijuana to adults over the age of 19 in his shop in Toronto, and says it's his form of civil disobedience until the plant is officially legalized for open sale to adults in Canada.
Bernier welcomed the endorsement from Emery online. "Glad I was able to spark your interest [Marc Emery] here's a donation link to pass around," Bernier posted on Twitter.
His staff seemed to embrace the move as well.
"Mr. Bernier is trying to build the largest possible coalition of Conservatives, and people who never voted for the CPC, (Conservative Party of Canada) in order to win this campaign and defeat Justin Trudeau. He welcomes the endorsement of everyone who believes in his plan for more freedom, respect, responsibility and fairness," spokesman Maxime Hupé said in a released statement.