Marc Emery will emerge from a US prison soon,  in time to play a role in the next federal election. For those wanting a united front against Stephen Harper's Conservatives, this could be very good news. 
    In the heydey of the Cannabis Culture network, Marc Emery and his various organizations including the BC Marijuana Party, Cannabis Culture Magazine, Pot TV and Marc Emery Seeds, helped train a generation of activists which later fed into other movements. 

    Unlike various organizations on the left, training was all 'on the job' in the CC network, and there was no gatekeeping or approval process for new local activists. Local activists would see a 'call out' in one of Emery's media outlets that said 'organize a rally in your city' and they would give instructions for that particular coordinated action, often referring back to the very helpful 'How To Put On A Pot Rally' which, minus the specific parts about giving away weed, etc., is an essential guide for any beginning organizer and applicable to any cause. They would provide lists of contact info for local media outlets, plus talking points for press releases and to practice for interviews, all just because they needed people to do it.

  I've met pot activists who worked on Emery related events who came from all over the political map, far left to far right. Often there was conflict, especially on the CC Forum message boards, but when there was an action everyone involved was on the same side when it came to our reason for being there. Marc Emery himself was known for being toward the center-libertarian part of the spectrum, openly opposing unions and generally promoting the concept of free market enterprise, he and his wife, Jodie Emery even helped to fundraise for Ron Paul,  despite her later being a Green Party candidate.

  So now, with every party except the Conservatives on the side of legalization, it's a very good time for Marc Emery to be getting out.

. Especially given the grudge he might have against Harper for the extra time he had to spend in jail in the US because of Harper's change in the prison transer policy. There are people who voted Conservative who are extremely unhappy with the thins Harper has done, and Emery's voice is one they might listen to better in persuading them not to vote Conservative, since Harper's most vocal opponents at the moment are disctinctly to the left of the spectrum and alienate many potentially pliable small 'c' conservatives.