[420 Girl]

Pot activist Marc Emery will have to wait nearly two months to learn if he can keep open his three businesses on West Hastings Street.

Barbara Windsor, the city’s chief licence inspector, said Emery’s company, Avalon Sunsplash Limited, should not have its business licence renewed due to his 2004 conviction for drug trafficking and police reports of open drug use on the premises.

Windsor said the 420 Convenience Store, the Cannabis Culture Magazine and Marc Emery’s Cannabis Culture Headquarters had a “significant number of city bylaw breaches” since 2001.

Upon cross-examination by lawyer Kirk Tousaw, Windsor admitted the city was unaware of the full legalities of the B.C. medical marijuana laws.

“I am unaware if the police took steps to see if people were using the lounge for medicinal purposes,” she said.

Tousaw also said the drug-trafficking conviction was a result of Emery passing a joint to a political supporter.

Outside the council room, Emery said the city failed to acknowledge the positive economic and social effects his businesses made to the “challenging area” in the Downtown Eastside.

“We’re not leaving the community,” he said.

Emery’s hearing will resume July 21.

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