Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jan 2018
Source: Glengarry News, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2018 The Glengarry News
Contact:  http://www.glengarrynews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5539
Author: Scott Carmichael
Page: 8

LOCAL MPS SPLIT ON MARIJUANA LAW

The federal with a handful of minor revisions, passed its third and
final reading in the House of Commons November 27 and has moved on to
the Senate for further review and discussion.

A total of 200 Members of Parliament voted in favour of the
legislation - Bill C-45 - with 82 voting against it.

Following the final vote, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted "we're
one step closer to legalizing & regulating marijuana. #BillC45 means
less money for organized crime and harder access for our kids."

Liberal Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP Francis Drouin voted along party
lines, while Guy Lauzon, his Conservative counterpart in
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, opposed the bill.

The Liberal government incorporated three amendments to the bill -
made by a Commons committee struck to study the proposed legislation -
prior to its third and final reading last week.

A plan to cap the size of homegrown marijuana plants at 100 cm was
scrapped as MPs felt that the requirement would be too difficult to
enforce.

The government also adopted an amendment calling for regulations
covering cannabis edibles and concentrates to be enacted one year from
Bill C-45's passage.

Legislators also agreed to review the law in three
years.

Meanwhile, the Ontario government passed what it calls "a safe and
sensible framework" to manage the federal legalization of marijuana on
December 12.

The province states that its legislation governs "the lawful use and
retail of recreational cannabis as a carefully controlled substance
within the province," once the recreational use of marijuana becomes
legal, as anticipated, next year.

According to the proposed policy, the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of
Ontario) will oversee the legal retail of cannabis in the province
through a subsidiary known as the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation
(OCRC).

Product will be available to consumers at approximately 150 new,
stand-alone stores as well through an online order service.

The entire network of bricks and mortar outlets will be fully
operational by 2020, with 80 stores up and running by July 1, 2019.

Online distribution is slated to commence in July 2018.

The proposed minimum age to use, purchase and possess recreational
cannabis will be 19, while its use will be prohibited in public spaces
and workplaces.

And the province will also be on the lookout for illicit cannabis
dispensaries and retailers, vowing to "pursue a coordinated and
proactive enforcement strategy, working with municipalities, local
police services, the OPP and the federal government to help shut down
these illegal operations."

Yasir Naqvi, the Attorney General of Ontario, said provincial
residents are "anxious" about the federal legalization of marijuana.
Mr. Naqvi added that the province's approach to legalization "will
ensure that we can keep our communities and roads safe, promote public
health and harm reduction, and protect Ontario's young people."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt