Pubdate: Wed, 26 Aug 2009 Source: Grand Forks Gazette (CN BC) Page: 11 Copyright: 2009 Sterling Newspapers Contact: http://www.mapinc.org/media/525 Note: The newspaper does not have an active website. Author: Shella Gardezi Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada) MARIJUANA TASK FORCE FORMED City Council voted to allow Coun. Joy Davies to proceed with a task force on medical marijuana, but not as an official city committee. The purpose of the task force is to find "solutions and options for local access to medical marijuana," said Davies. Davies refused to reveal the identities of the people on the task force. However, at an earlier meeting she released a list of the following invitees: two members of council; Member of Parliament Alex Atamanenko; Member of the Legislative Assembly John Slater; a doctor; a counsellor/psychologist; a medical user; fire chief; law enforcement officer or lawyer; senior's representative; hospital representative; Interior Health Authority (IHA) representative; representative of the Doukhobor community; and a master grower. Of this list, she said all were "on board" except Slater, who wishes to be kept informed of the task force's research. "I will not release the names of all the people who wish to participate in this professional recommendation to city council," she said. "I do not want any citizen going through what I have had to endure over these last few months because we are trying to find a way to get medicine to senior citizens in the city of Grand Forks." She said she had "been on the end of both public and private slights, shots, discrimination, screaming at and anger." Although not an official committee of council, Davies said the task force would be bringing forward "multi-purpose" recommendations to city, including lobbying at the Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments and Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Davies said she didn't think the committee would want to do its work without a stronger endorsement by council. "I don't think MLAs and MPs just want to get involved in a community task force on issues such as this," she said. "They want political will." Coun. Christine Thompson argued that accepting the resolution without officially endorsing the task force would allow the group to form and work on the issue without the unanimous support of council. "I would encourage those who have agreed to work with Coun. Davies to do so and to bring something back to council," she said. Despite her objections, Davies voted to accept the resolution without endorsing the task force and said the committee would likely bring a report to council in four months. Coun. Gene Robert, Cher Wyers and Michael Wirischagin voted against the motion. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom