Pubdate: Fri, 05 Aug 2016
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Page: A1
Copyright: 2016 The Windsor Star
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Dave Battagello

CHAMBER LOOKS TO SECURE A MAJOR ROLE IN POT INDUSTRY

There is a push on to make sure the Windsor area is at the forefront 
when Canada legalizes the recreational use of marijuana, and it's 
coming from a surprising source.

The Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce wants input when the 
federal legislation is drafted to ensure the area gets its fair share 
of the potential $5-billion dollar industry.

"We have an emerging cannabis marketplace and we want to be at the 
forefront in the industry for whatever the future holds," Matt 
Marchand, chief executive of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of 
Commerce, said on Thursday. "Windsor-Essex is a global leader in 
agricultural production and research. We have skilled talent in the 
agricultural community, so we want to make sure the economic benefits 
for Essex County are maximized."

The chamber wants a business framework put in place so the industry 
does not become a "wild west" with a grey market undercutting the 
commercial industry.

"It has to be clear who does what, also what is legal and what is 
not," Marchand said.

Leamington-based Aphria already has a strong presence in the medical 
marijuana sector after securing a licence in November 2014 with 
Health Canada. The company generates annual revenues of about $8 
million and has said it plans to be ready to enter the market when 
marijuana is legalized for recreational use.

The Windsor-Essex chamber and the Greater Niagara chamber are looking 
for support to take their message about the looming marijuana 
legislation to Ottawa. They will present a resolution at the Canadian 
Chamber of Commerce general meeting in Regina, which starts Sept. 17.

The resolution calls on Ottawa to "implement a regulatory framework 
that will allow competition and consumer choice while also protecting 
consumers, the public, and youth."

If two-thirds of the chambers across the country approve, the 
Windsor-Essex chamber will be able to make its case to the federal government.

The Trudeau government has promised to legalize recreational 
marijuana use and is expected to table legislation in the spring, 
Marchand said.

"We don't want any ambiguity on who can produce what," he said. "We 
want to be at the table when legislation is introduced and have the 
opportunity for input."

The local chamber won't just be talking pot at the annual meeting.

It is also championing a resolution with the Hamilton and Sault Ste. 
Marie chambers calling for greater protection of Canada's steel industry.

They want the federal government to address "unfair trade practices" 
which they say have allowed nations such as China to undercut steel 
prices in Canada.

While Hamilton and the Sault are where the majority of Canadian steel 
manufacturing takes place, Atlas Tube, which has a plant in Harrow, 
is the country's largest producer of steel hollow structural sections.

"There are foreign governments gaming the trade system," Marchand 
said. "There is an overcapacity of steel globally due mostly to 
China. It is being dumped not just in Canada, but globally."

Steel shipments often enter this country using fake certificates or 
through third-party nations, allowing countries such as China to 
steer around the rules, Marchand said.

"Trade enforcement laws in Canada date back 20 years and need to be 
updated," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom