Pubdate: Tue, 18 Apr 2017
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2017 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.montrealgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Page: A5
Referenced: Cannabis Act: http://mapinc.org/url/Kd46SXou

BARRETTE WANTS SLICE OF POT PIE

Tweets take aim at Ottawa

Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette took to social media on Sunday
to complain that Ottawa's marijuana legalization drops plenty of
responsibilities on the provinces but little in the way of money.

Barrette, who has been decidedly cool to the Trudeau government's plan
to legalize recreational marijuana use, wrote on his Twitter account
that "Fed Libs political anthem: High visibility, low cost (to them).
Always. Latest example? Pot legalization."

The minister then went on to muse over whether the provinces should get 
a share of any federal tax revenue generated by legal marijuana sales, 
writing "Pot: all consequences and responsibilities being imposed on PTs 
shoulders shouldn't fed taxes also be transferred to PTs!"

Last Thursday the federal government tabled legislation aimed at
legalizing marijuana by next July. However, eyebrows were raised once
the details of the proposed law made it clear the provinces, not
Ottawa, would do most of the heavy lifting when it came to the nuts
and bolts of the law's execution.

Sales, packaging and distribution would become provincial
responsibilities, as well as establishing the minimum age for pot
consumption and how much consumers would be permitted to possess.

Last month, Barrette told reporters that, as a physician and health
minister, he'd "learn to live" with Ottawa's decision to legalize marijuana.

Sunday's Twitter burst suggests that as provincial politician, he may
be less comfortable with the plan.
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MAP posted-by: Matt