Pubdate: Tue, 10 Oct 2017
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2017 Postmedia Network
Contact:  http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: James Wood
Page: A3

UNIONS WANT GOVERNMENT-RUN CANNABIS STORES

Alberta Federation of Labour says public system creates better jobs,
more revenue

The Alberta Federation of Labour is calling for the NDP government to
set up a system of government-owned and operated cannabis stores in
the province when recreational marijuana becomes legal next year.

With Alberta's policy framework for legal cannabis released earlier
this month, Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley said the province will
only allow stand-alone stores to sell legal weed but it is still
weighing whether to set up government-owned facilities or leave retail
to the private sector.

Businesses looking to move into the recreational marijuana field in
2018 are opposed to a public system for cannabis sales, as are the
province's three main opposition parties.

But AFL president Gil McGowan said government stores are the best
option to create good jobs and bring the greatest financial return to
provincial coffers.

"The government should keep the broader public interest in mind and,
in determining that interest, they should look at things like public
revenue and health and safety and job creation as opposed to just the
narrow interests of investors and the potential owners of stores," he
said in an interview.

The AFL, the umbrella group for organized labour in the province and
an affiliate group with the NDP, is presenting a submission to the
government under consultations that will run until Oct. 27.

As it considers its options, the government says a private retail
system for cannabis likely would be more flexible in meeting consumer
demand and would provide more economic opportunities for small business.

On the other hand, the province says government-owned stores would
provide a greater level of oversight of marijuana being bought and
sold and would likely generate more government revenue in the long
run. A public system would require significant upfront costs for the
cash-strapped government, however, potentially putting taxpayer
dollars at risk.

Alberta has not had governmentowned liquor stores since they were
privatized under the Klein government in the 1990s. Proponents say the
large network of private liquor stores in the province provides a
model for marijuana retail once the Trudeau government follows through
with legalization on July 1, 2018.

Peter Pilarski, president of the Canadian Cannabis Chamber, a legal
marijuana industry group, argued this week that a government-owned
system would also mean higher costs, in part due to unionized wages.

McGowan, however, says liquor privatization in Alberta is an argument
for a public system for cannabis, saying the Alberta government has
given up substantial revenue over the last two decades. In 2012, the
left-leaning Parkland Institute issued a report saying Alberta had
forgone $1.5 billion since the early 1990s and the government had the
lowest per-capita take from liquor of any province.

The labour leader also makes no bones about the fact he is interested
in seeing unionized government workers responsible for cannabis sales.

"I think it's clear that the jobs in Alberta's privatized liquor
system are far inferior to the jobs that existed before
privatization," said McGowan, who fully expects government workers in
cannabis stores would be represented by the Alberta Union of
Provincial Employees or another public sector union.

"That would be a positive outcome both for the workers and the broader
public, because people who are paid better, have better job security
and have at least a few benefits are also going to become more robust
workers and in turn support the economy."

The AUPE, the primary union for Alberta government workers, declined
to comment.

Under the NDP's framework, stores that sell legal marijuana will not
be allowed to also sell liquor, tobacco or pharmaceuticals. The legal
age for consumption will be 18.
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MAP posted-by: Matt