Marijuana has not yet been legalized for recreational use in Canada, but one of the country's best known pot advocates is planning to open several stores in Montreal next week.
Marc Emery and his wife Jodie have announced they plan on being in town Thursday to open several stores.
A report in La Presse on Monday suggests they've signed leases to set up shop in three places: on St. Laurent Blvd. near Roy St; on Mont-Royal Ave. near Papineau, and on Amherst St. near Ontario.
The couple run several of their Cannabis Culture stores in Vancouver, Toronto, Hamilton and Peterborough, Ont. Many of those locations have been the subject of raids by police.
"We think all adults deserve access to cannabis," Jodie Emery told CJAD News. "The people of Canada love cannabis and dispensaries, they want access, they voted for access, and the government is not giving it to them. So it's up to us, yet again, to keep pushing for the change that Canadians want and deserve."
Prime minister Justin Trudeau promised pot legislation would be coming — but not before the spring of 2017.
Montreal police have not offered any hints as to what, if anything, they plan on doing when the stores open.
Meanwhile, long-time Montreal pot activist Marc-Boris St-Maurice, says he expects the Emerys will get into legal trouble with their stores.
"I have a bit of apprehension with they way he's going about things," he says. "He's very cavalier in his approach. He comes into town with a lot of media fanfare."
St. Maurice now runs a medical pot store in Montreal, which has been raided by police in the past.