Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier has welcomed pot activist Marc Emery’s support of his campaign, but has avoided commenting on his recent arrest and drug trafficking charges — as have Bernier’s leadership rivals.

Emery, nicknamed the “Prince of Pot” for his once-thriving mail order cannabis seed business, was arrested with nine others last Friday in Montreal in a police raid of his Cannabis Culture marijuana shops. He’d opened six new locations the day before, according to CBC, and was subsequently charged with drug trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking and conspiracy.

iPolitics asked Bernier’s campaign twice this week whether he could provide a comment on Emery’s arrest. On Monday, his campaign said he was flying. On Tuesday, his campaign said he was unavailable.

On September 13, Bernier responded to Emery’s endorsement of his campaign by tweeting: “Glad I was able to spark your interest here’s a donation link to pass around”.

Glad I was able to spark your interest @MarcScottEmery here’s a donation link to pass around https://t.co/iDdUUcV8sy https://t.co/GegCkCShKh — Maxime Bernier (@MaximeBernier) September 14, 2016

Elections Canada financial reports show Emery donated $60 to Bernier’s campaign on September 6 and another $360 on September 14.

It’s not clear, however, whether others in Emery’s network have donated to his campaign — as Bernier’s tweet encouraged them to do.

Bernier led all leadership candidates in third-quarter fundraising.

Though Bernier hasn’t actually released a marijuana legalization policy, in April he said he was open to supporting the Liberals’ marijuana legalization legislation, depending on how the government went about it.

In addition to Bernier’s perceived support for legalization, Emery, a fellow economic libertarian, has been as enthusiastic about Bernier’s other policy offerings.

“I’m completely sold on this fine gentleman as the future Prime Minister of Canada. I agree with every one of his policies, which follow the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility. A fine man and terrific candidate,” Emery commented on a picture with Bernier he posted on Instagram outside a Toronto fundraiser in September.

Very delighted to meet and hear Conservative Party leadership candidate Maxime Bernier (MP) this evening here in Toronto. I'm completely sold on this fine gentleman as the future Prine Minister of Canada. I agree with every one of his policies, which follow the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility. A fine man and terrific candidate. I couldn't be more enthused! A photo posted by Marc Emery (@marcscottemery) on Sep 28, 2016 at 4:28pm PDT

iPolitics reached out to a number of Bernier’s Tory leadership rivals for comment. Erin O’Toole, Andrew Scheer and Pierre Lemieux all declined.

Steven Blaney couldn’t be reached.

Nick Kouvalis, campaign manager for Kellie Leitch, was the only one to provide a comment.

“Mr. Emery’s endorsements are not sought by serious politicians in Canada,” he wrote in an email.

That’s a little closer to how the Conservative party used to talk about Emery.

When Emery was released from federal prison in Louisiana in August 2014, the Conservatives tried to connect him to Justin Trudeau, who’d promised to legalize marijuana in the summer of 2013.

“Justin has admitted that he wants to legalize marijuana – and now he is getting support from convicted U.S. criminal and self-proclaimed ‘prince of pot’ Marc Emery,” the party tweeted.

Blaney, then public safety minister, put out a statement following Emery’s release.

“Mr. Emery and his wife are strong supporters of Justin Trudeau’s ‘vision’ to legalize marijuana, in fact, Mrs. Emery plans to run for the Liberals as a pro-pot candidate in 2015,” Blaney noted.

The Liberal Party ended up blocking Jodie Emery’s attempt to seek the nomination in the riding of Vancouver East.

“While the Liberals would try to make it easier for our children to access marijuana, Canadians can count on our government to put forward policies that keep drugs off our streets and keep our families safe,” Blaney added in the statement.

With files from Janice Dickson.