Pubdate: Tue, 26 Jul 2016
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Page: A7
Copyright: 2016 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Robert Benzie

PREMIERS PUSH FOR POT POLICY

Provincial Leaders Call on Ottawa to Deliver Plan Soon So They Can 
Build Framework

Canada's premiers are signaling they need swift action from Ottawa on 
recreational marijuana legalization to keep cannabis away from kids, 
motorists and criminals.

With a federal panel set to deliver a report this November that will 
be the blueprint for legislation next spring, the provincial leaders 
say time is of the essence.

"There's real concerns, there's concerns on so many levels," Manitoba 
Premier Brian Pallister said Thursday at the annual Council of the 
Federation meeting.

"I would hope that we can develop a national approach, a cooperative 
approach, rather than each of us going in our own separate ways.

"There are issues in terms of public health, there are issues in 
terms of public safety, there are issues in terms of determination of 
distribution mechanisms and things like that. All of these issues 
have to be discussed and have been made an important priority by the 
federal government's commitment to move."

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark said Canada is in a troubling 
limbo period as the provinces and territories await Ottawa's next moves.

"Young people should not have access to marijuana before they're of 
age. People should know - if they're consumers of it - that the 
product that they're getting is what they expect and the criminal 
element must be kept out," Clark said.

"Those are the three things I'm most concerned about. We need to see 
the federal legislation. Then once we get through that we will build 
a system ... that complies completely, but it will be focused on safety."

Clark noted that in B.C. - as in Toronto - unlicensed storefront pot 
shops, which claim to sell medical marijuana to "patients," are a 
cause for concern.

"These illegal dispensaries have become a real problem in Canada. 
Nobody wants one in their neighbourhood, nobody wants one next to 
their child's school, but they're popping up everywhere," she said.

"That's why I'm glad the federal government wants to move quickly on 
it, because the criminal element is filling that grey area. We've got 
to move before they get bigger."

While marijuana was not part of the formal agenda here at the annual 
conference of provincial and territorial leaders, Ontario Premier 
Kathleen Wynne said she and her colleagues wanted to broach the subject.

Wynne, who has 12 provincial departments working on Ontario's 
cannabis strategy, said it's a key public policy change that 
political leaders must address.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said his province "has a concern 
around enforcement.

"We have a committee of ministers who are looking at those issues, 
looking at the experience in Colorado and I think it's very important 
that we're ready," Wall said.

"In our province, unfortunately, we have a high incidence of driving 
while impaired and so we've got to be very careful ... as we move 
forward," he said. "We'll be sharing our information with other provinces."

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said that governments across 
Canada need to be on the same page as legalized marijuana is rolled out.

"What's the impairment test? Those are important things in terms of 
road safety," McNeil said.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley conceded it's "obviously a very 
complicated matter.

"Both my health minister and my minister of justice are in the 
process of looking at the various options and coming up with a 
framework for decision making," Notley said, adding, like other 
premiers, she will be co-operating with the federal task force led by 
former deputy prime minister Anne McLellan.

"There's a lot of issues outstanding. We want to do it carefully and 
thoughtfully," she said.

Prince Edward Island Premier Wade MacLauchlan said his province is 
still determining its marijuana policy.

"I will be directly involved because I'm also minister of justice. 
We're following things very closely as they unfold. We'll be looking 
for the most effective way to deal with it," MacLauchlan said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom