cannabisnews.com: White Wades Into Immigration Waters










  White Wades Into Immigration Waters

Posted by CN Staff on March 01, 2003 at 08:29:26 PT
By Robert Freeman 
Source: Chilliwack Progress  

Abbotsford MP Randy White vows he’ll stop a U.S. medical marijuana user from gaining refugee status here in Canada, a precedent he says could open the floodgates to thousands of drug users from south of the border. “I’m going to expose this for what it is,” he says. “It’s about a well-funded lobby to legalize drugs.” 
The Opposition MP also criticized Canadian immigration officials for agreeing to hear the refugee request by Steve Kubby, a California man who recently obtained a licence from Health Canada to grow marijuana here for medical reasons. Mr. White says the eight-day hearing that starts next week in Vancouver is an abuse of the system and will cause delays for legitimate refugee claimants facing genuine risk in their homelands. “I think it’s totally inappropriate and unacceptable,” he says about the refugee hearing. “There is no such thing as a refugee from the United States.” “This is about political interference in the program as well,” he adds. “Part of it is politics, and there’s no place for politics in a refugee hearing that is about American drug laws.” He says Mr. Kubby is “a lobbyist for the legalization of drugs” and his claim isn’t about obtaining refugee status “it’s about fighting the battle over drugs in the U.S. here in Canada.” If refugee status is granted to Mr. Kubby, there are 30,000 medical marijuana users in California alone who will be looking at crossing the B.C. border, he warns, and if safe injection sites for addicts go ahead in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto as planned, “what’s to stop heroin and crack addicts from applying for refugee status as well.” But Mr. Kubby, 56, says he came into Canada legally, and deporting him back to the U.S. where he faces two misdemeanor convictions for possessing an “un-usable amount” of peyote and mushrooms, which wouldn’t bring a jail sentence in Canada, would be “tantamount” to a death sentence. If deported and sent to a U.S. prison, he says without marijuana “it’s just a matter of days before I suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke.” He says the eight days of public hearings before the refugee board is “a terrible waste of public resources and shows clearer than ever that people like myself and my family are political targets.” But he denies being a lobbyist for marijuana legalization, and says those who advocate that position don’t like the medical-use issue because it blurs their own message. “They want full legalization,” he says. “That’s not our position.” Mr. Kubby says he and his wife Michele “have never accepted a penny of drug legalization money” although a “minor” donation was made by B.C. pot activist Marc Emery. “This is being driven by people who are suffering, by common people who are tired of being abused and treated as a murderer, or worse, just because they choose to grow a plant not approved by the government,” he says. “I have been an upstanding, highly-respected businessman all my life,” he adds. “It’s only when I went public that cannabis is the only thing keeping me alive (that) everyone wants to write me off as some kind of criminal.” Mr. Kubby was instrumental in getting a California proposition passed to allow medical use of marijuana in that state, however, federal U.S. drug laws over-ride state statutes. He says if the board grants him refugee status as a medical marijuana patient “that doesn’t allow people with heroin and cocaine addictions to come into Canada.” He agrees more U.S. medical marijuana users may seek refugee status as a result, but he says it is “absurd” for immigration officials to go after “sick” people like himself, who can still be productive citizens, when there are already many illegal immigrants in the country. He also says health care costs in Canada could be reduced by the use of marijuana for medical treatments. “As any of the operators of (medical marijuana) compassion clubs will tell you, most of their patients come off expensive pharmaceutical drugs once they start using and getting relief from cannabis,” he says. “If Canada and Canadians really want to do something to get their health care system in shape, they can study the clubs and verify what I’ve just said.” A spokesperson for the refugee board, which is independent from the federal Immigration Ministry, says the ministry could have refused Mr. Kubby’s refugee claim, but “if they do not make that exclusion, the case automatically comes to us” and a hearing is held. But the vast majority of claims are not held in public, and are normally “non-adversarial” in nature, says spokesperson Melissa Anderson. She says Mr. White applied for the public hearing, which will allow an immigration ministry representative to “test the credibility” of Mr. Kubby’s claim for refugee status based on the alleged risk of “cruel and unusual punishment” in the U.S. She says it is “fairly unusual” for the ministry to take part in refugee hearings “but not in high-profile cases” like the illegal immigrants from China who landed on B.C.’s coast, and “where the department feels there are issues that need to be addressed.” Most refugee hearings are completed in half a day, but some have gone on for up to 45 days depending on the complexity of the claim, she says. “We do get quite a few requests from the U.S., however, in time only one American has been found to be a refugee,” she says, but that finding was later overturned by a federal court judge. There were 84 U.S. “protection” requests accepted by the board last year, but none were approved, she adds. The total number of U.S. refugee requests jumped from 81 in 2001 to 213 last year. The public hearings for Mr. Kubby’s refugee claim start March 5 at the Vancouver office of the Immigration and Refugee Board. Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC)Author: Robert FreemanPublished: Thursday, February 27, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Chilliwack ProgressContact: editor theprogress.comWebsite: http://www.theprogress.com/Related Articles & Web Sites: Pot TV http://www.pot-tv.netThe Drug War Refugees http://freedomtoexhale.com/smk.htm Pot-TV Star Still Growing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14966.shtmlIll Americans Seek Marijuana's Relief in Canada http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14035.shtml

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Comment #26 posted by FoM on March 04, 2003 at 08:35:27 PT
Wrong Day
I think the hearing is tomorrow. Opps! I thought today was the 5th. Good Luck tomorrow!
What's New 
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on March 04, 2003 at 08:28:35 PT

herbdoc215
Good Luck to Steve today. I was watching News World International last night and they were talking about the deportation hearings that are going on. Hang in there! We will win!
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Comment #24 posted by herbdoc215 on March 04, 2003 at 00:00:59 PT:

FoM, Yes it will be streamed from web 
on stations listed in my post...the show should be posted for at least 24 hours and then archived. Peace, Steve Tuckps. I am going to attend the Kubby hearings also since it seems I have a small intrest into the outcome so I'll try to post any inside dope I know as it happens. Got so many body parts crossed I'm walking sideways...:)
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on March 03, 2003 at 21:28:01 PT

Thank herbdoc215 
Will it be available other then when it is on? I am not up that early and I don't want to miss it. 5 am is a time I haven't seen since taking kids off to horse shows years ago. The good ole crack of dawn days! LOL!
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Comment #22 posted by herbdoc215 on March 03, 2003 at 21:13:53 PT

FoM, Here's the info for our radio interview
Steve Tuck/Steve Kubby... this is Cathy Duchamp, the radio reporter who was up your way last month to talk to you about your upcoming refugee hearings...The story is slated to run nationwide [US] on Morning Edition on Weds March 5. I have no idea what time. Morn Ed is a 2-hour news magazine that runs in most markets from 5am to 9am You can listen to it via a live webstream at my station's site www.kuow.org or at npr's www.npr.orgTotal time is 4:30. I can't tell you how much I wanted to include, but couldn't, due to time
constraints.  Unfortunately I was not able to use the interview with Ken
Hayes done at his 
shop, but his message is there in the piece. Thanks again for all your time.
I'll be following your hearings this wk [steve] and in the coming months.Cathy Duchamp
Reporter
KUOW 94.9 FM NPR Seattle
(206) 221-3856
cduchamp u.washington.edu
www.kuow.org

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Comment #21 posted by FoM on March 03, 2003 at 15:35:03 PT

Important E-Mail News from Steve Kubby
Kubbys to Put Former Prosecutor and U.S. Drug Officials on Trial From: "Steve Kubby" FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, March 02, 2003CONTACT: Steve Kubby, 604-885-7651 (working media only, please)KUBBYS TO PUT FORMER PROSECUTOR AND U.S. DRUG OFFICIALS ON TRIALVANCOUVER -- Placer County Deputy District Attorney Chris Cattran will face tough questioning in the upcoming Kubby Refugee Hearings, when the Kubbys will be allowed to question their former prosecutor. Other top U.S. drug officials will also face tough questions as well as dozens of incriminating documents.Cattran, who still faces a multi-million dollar civil rights suit for his role in the raid on the Kubby family, has agreed to testify by phone at the upcoming refugee hearings. As part of that testimony, he will be forced to submit to questioning by the Kubbys."We believe we can show a number of criminal acts on the part of Mr. Cattran and that we have the documentation to back it up. You can bet we're thrilled to be able to bring our evidence before an independent international body," said Steve Kubby.Former L.A. Times reporter and Auburn Journal City Editor, Pat McCartney is preparing to testify regarding several dozen "smoking gun" documents he has collected for a new book he has written. These document are alleged to show names, dates and places of public officials in California conspiring with Federal officials to overthrow the Compassionate Use Act, thwart the will of the voters and break the new law on the backs of patients and activists, by targeting and prosecuting them.Also testifying on behalf of the Kubbys will be cannabis expert Ed Rosenthal, prop. 215 co-author and attorney Bill Panzer, and cancer expert Dr. Joseph Connors.The hearings start on Wednesday, March 5th at 8 am and run until 5 pm everyday until March 14. The location is 300 West Georgia Street 16th floor.
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Comment #20 posted by fearfull on March 03, 2003 at 10:33:18 PT

There is no freedom in the U.S.
 ?There is no such thing as a refugee from the United States.? The United States Goverment is guilty of oppresion and cultural genocide. If you use cannibis, they have no tolerance for you. It matters not if you are a productive citizen, if you pay your taxes, if you are a good parent or if you love your country. If you wish to use pot you are a low life criminal and you must be eliminated.The US goverment has systematicly hunted down and persecuted all aspects of the cannibis culture for the last 60+ years. They give no concideration for any one and no quarter. They steal, lie, cheat and murder, all out of FEAR. They are afraid of us.Who wouldn't want to escape such injustice? 
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on March 02, 2003 at 09:19:36 PT

Steve Kubby's Words
Kubby Supports Full Legalization of CannabisSaturday, March 1, 2003Friends,Please be advised that the article I sent you earlier today seriously misrepresented my stand on legalization of marijuana. Apparently the writer misunderstood my point, which is that I don't have the same agenda as those who want all drugs legalized at once.I've seen over and over that when we mix support for full legalization of cannabis with other drugs, our support falls dramatically. So I oppose bringing in heroine and cocaine legalization with the issue of cannabis legalization. However, my stand on marijuana legalization has always been that nothing less than full legalization of cannabis will allow patients to be safe.Also, my remarks about Marc playing a minor role, was not meant to minimize the extraordinary support Marc has given us, but to point out that it was common folks, giving us an average of $40 per contribution, that fueled 90% of our financial support -- NOT the drug legalization lobby as alleged by Randy White.Let freedom grow,Steve
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on March 01, 2003 at 18:08:07 PT

You're Welcome CorvallisEric 
I think I covered his important points. That's what jumped out at me when I read the e-mail. PS: When the news is slow I get so tired. Boy am I tired. LOL! 
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Comment #17 posted by CorvallisEric on March 01, 2003 at 17:54:38 PT

FoM
Thank you very much for the correction in comment 11. While reading the article both points bothered me.
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Comment #16 posted by Truth on March 01, 2003 at 14:13:29 PT

George W. Bush
I would rather w would learn the truth rather than be damned, but I fully believe that when one takes advantage of other folks the way w has he certainly isn't getting a front row ticket to the big show in the sky. Eternity is forever, our lives are brief.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on March 01, 2003 at 13:58:16 PT

About George Bush
I sure don't believe in damning anyone but I believe that he is misdirected. I don't know if he will change but I doubt he will be re-elected.
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Comment #14 posted by Truth on March 01, 2003 at 13:45:37 PT

Yep
"Goddamn George Wicked Busch, the traitor to the Constitution, to the public good, and the concept of reason."I would like to second this if I may. 
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on March 01, 2003 at 13:37:14 PT

Virgil
I know what you mean. I am not against people who do hard drugs but Cannabis is an herb not a man made drug. Cannabis is natural and has been around since the beginning of time. Hard drug use can have serious consequences. Cannabis consequence is jail. It isn't the plant but the law against it that causes harm.PS: Jail isn't the answer for any drug use in my opinion.
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Comment #12 posted by Virgil on March 01, 2003 at 13:24:08 PT

Nothing much
FoM, you were talking about how the penalty for paraphanalia is more severe in Ohio than possession of cannabis. That bong can get you 30 days in jail and a $750 fine as opposed to $100 fine for up to 100 grams for possession.The bait and switch tactic really is a grip of mine. When we want to talk on the subject of cannabis the prohibitions summon up all the demons and start talking about drrruggs. It is the primary means of obfuscation. Say cannabis and they start screaming "Drrruugggs, drrrrugs, drrrrrugs" like Chicken Little.In the Canadian Senate Report in the Introduction under Chapter 7, Cannabis: Effects and Consequences, it starts with the following sentence- "When it comes to cannabis, one hears anything and its opposite." You can tell they talked to reformers and it was in Candian report. In this country you hear mostly silence and if you mention cannabis, the subject changes to drugs as in Walters stupid statement he parrots like a monomanical idiot- "Marijuana is a dangerous drug."

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Comment #11 posted by FoM on March 01, 2003 at 13:01:35 PT

Correction from Steve Kubby
I read that Steve Kubby wants to clarify the above article. He is for Cannabis Legalization but not grouping all drugs in with Cannabis. Plus he didn't want to marginalize Marc Emery's contributions like the article seemed to imply. I thought I should post it so you know how Steve Kubby really feels. I think I covered all the bases.PS: My note. I too believe that drugs and Cannabis should be separated. I've always felt that way.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on March 01, 2003 at 12:12:30 PT

herbdoc215
Would you post the link to NPR when it is on? I really would like to hear it and thank you.
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Comment #9 posted by Virgil on March 01, 2003 at 12:05:04 PT

For want of a nail
I read a quote attributable to Benjamin Franklin afew weeks ago and since all we do here is put up words, these are as good as any and better than most."For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, For the want of a shoe the horse was lost, For the want of a horse a rider was lost, For the want of a rider the battle was lost, For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horse-shoe nail." Words have there place but in our situation where we have cannabis prohibition as a policy of power, words of reason provide no nail. We are not governed by reason. We are governed by power that makes up laws that are uncontitutional and to push back freedoms specifically enumerated in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.We are a nation in crisis that jeopordizes the well-being of the entire world calling on a policy of first-strikes with authorization of nuclear weapons in spite of International law. There is a nail that needs to be hit. It is to call for the impeachment of George Busch who did exactly the opposite of defending, protecting, and upholding the Constition.Cannabis policy cannot change as long as the corruption of government is bought by big money to supress, break, intimidate, imprison, and remove the right to vote by the common man with unjust laws and remove his children and property from him with more unjust laws. Cannabis policy will only change when we get the people to do their duty and clear the government of its corrupt ways. The head of the nail is George Busch. If you do not see the need to call for his impeachment, you are ignorant of the corruption the powers cannabis policy despite all reason much less pragmatism and freedom.Goddamn George Wicked Busch, the traitor to the Constitution, to the public good, and the concept of reason.

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Comment #8 posted by herbdoc215 on March 01, 2003 at 10:51:21 PT

We've been told that many times here?NoUSArefugees
That the USA was best thing since ice-cream? The treaty US-Canada signed was supposed to do us in but there are many in Immigra who know we are right so it's very unknown whats going to happen to us...my hearing is in May. Randy has taken it upon himself to make war upon us to make himself look big, he's a memeber of a red-neck right-wing bigot party here who are USA ass-kissers...we are looking into the little punks background next as I have heard a few rumors??? I filed for assisted suicicde at my last hearing if I lose as I have no worries about dying but I'll be damned if they are going to torture me in some cold cell screaming in pain to the pigs amusement...let's see what Randy has to say smart-ass about that as I am not playing with them. There are quite a few people in Gov't here who see the justice of our cause as they help us any way they can, we had to go thru a vetting process that made going into the US Army look easy... including every address I have ever lived at,etc. We were found to be acceptable to immigrate if not for our special little situation in Cali...so if anybody else can make it thru that bs more power to them as it's no bed of roses. This will be a political trial though as gov't has addmitted that already, I'll try next few days to post my transcripts of the two hearings I've been to already so everybody can see for themselves the truth. NPR radio did a real long interview the other day with me and Kubby and Ken that is going to air on Morning Edition one day next week, it should discuss many of these issue's if anybodies interested...we are going to keep pushing until we find us a homeland to be free in. Peace, steve tuck
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Comment #7 posted by SWAMPIE on March 01, 2003 at 10:49:48 PT

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT....
To remain silent....When THEY say so...Put them in the same situation and see how LOUD their voices are.Wasn't freedom meant for all people?JUDGEMENT DAY IS COMING,SLEEP WITH ONE EYE OPEN....
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Comment #6 posted by puff_tuff on March 01, 2003 at 10:46:24 PT

Who is Randy White?
http://www.randywhite.ca/
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Comment #5 posted by afterburner on March 01, 2003 at 09:54:30 PT:

Translation of Scary Prohibitionist's Phrase.
“It’s about a well-funded lobby to legalize drugs.” -Abbotsford MP Randy White well-funded: the prohibitionists would rather their prey be broke and defenseless.lobby: the individual is not seen as being persecuted by mis-guided federal law; he's part of a mob.legalize: medical (marijuana) cannabis is already legal in Canada by court decision; ooo, scary word.drugs: cannabis is a plant, not a drug; it does not knock you out, like heroin and other opiates; cannabis increases your awareness of reality.ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.
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Comment #4 posted by JHarshaw on March 01, 2003 at 09:33:33 PT

Political Target

Hi,   It sounds like this MP needs to be targeted the same way Bob Barr and others were defeated in the U.S. elections. “There is no such thing as a refugee from the United States.” Who does he think he's kidding!Peace and Pot

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Comment #3 posted by i420 on March 01, 2003 at 09:28:38 PT

Who made randy GOD ?
Who the hell is randy white?????
NOBODY
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Comment #2 posted by BGreen on March 01, 2003 at 09:15:37 PT

randy white is going down big time
Steve and Michelle Kubby will prevail. The police states of amerika will kill Steve if he goes back. Canada granted him an exemption to grow and possess his medicine after determining his medical necessity and acknowledging the successful use of cannabis in treating his cancer, while the police states of amerika would lock him up and deprive him of his medicine which would most likely kill him.randy white, (I don't capitalize the names of scumbags) If the circumstances surrounding the case of Steve Kubby doesn't fit the profile of somebody deserving political asylum, regardless from which country they come from, who in the name of God does?Watch the latest episode of Pot-TV news for the Kubbys' enthusiastic outlook concerning their case.Bud Green
The Pot TV News for Feb 28 - Mar 02
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Comment #1 posted by aocp on March 01, 2003 at 09:03:59 PT

"genuine" is in the heart of the compassionat
Mr. White says the eight-day hearing that starts next week in Vancouver is an abuse of the system and will cause delays for legitimate refugee claimants facing genuine risk in their homelands.As it states later in the article, Kubby could freaking DIE if sent back to dealand. Oh, that's right ... that's not "genuine" b/c MMJ is a hoax. Tell that to Peter McWilliams. darryl gates must be proud.
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