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51 CN MB: LTE: Wrong MessageThu, 28 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Lockman, Rick Area:Manitoba Lines:28 Added:09/28/2017

Increases in opioid overdoses send a clear message. Our prime minister needs to see it. The message is that more people are turning to drugs, not away from them. A culture of using less drugs, prescription or illegal, needs to be encouraged. Legalizing marijuana sends exactly the wrong message. People need to learn to deal with life's stresses without crutches. Justin Trudeau is supporting drug use, not condemning it. And that is the wrong message.

Rick Lockman



(For his government, that horse has already left the barn.)

[end]

52 CN MB: OPED: Public Monopoly Wrong Model For Pot SalesWed, 20 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Goliger, Mark Area:Manitoba Lines:116 Added:09/23/2017

AS recreational cannabis becomes legal nationally on July 1, Canadians are faced with tremendous opportunity and risk. Our country is essentially rolling back a long-existing illegal trade to facilitate a legal, regulated market. The purpose, as the federal Liberal platform says, is: "to ensure that we keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals, we will legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana."

With much yet to be figured out, the following focuses on the issue of how to implement retail distribution, which rests with each province.

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53 CN MB: OPED: Sell Marijuana Only In Government Liquor StoresWed, 20 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Bird, Malcolm Area:Manitoba Lines:112 Added:09/23/2017

THE federal government is set on legalizing marijuana by summer 2018. While the Liberals will enjoy the political payoff of appearing progressive, all the problems and the logistics of legalizing pot will fall on the shoulders of the provincial governments.

There are strong correlations between how a drug or an indulgence, such as gambling, is made available to the public and the propensity for individuals to indulge in it, and the negative health and social outcomes associated with its use.

In other words, it matters how we legalize marijuana, not just that we legalize it.

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54 CN MB: Campaign Targets Drug-Impaired DrivingFri, 15 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Israel, Solomon Area:Manitoba Lines:85 Added:09/19/2017

MANITOBA - Public Insurance announced a new public education campaign against drug-impaired driving on Thursday, with a focus on cannabis ahead of the expected legalization of that substance next year.

The campaign, launched in co-operation with Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada, will include messaging focused on new teen drivers, youth in general, the medical community and the general public, with taglines such as "Think you're a better driver when you're high? Think again."

MPI chief administrative officer Ward Keith said the campaign was developed in response to "a number of things that are lining up to give us real concerns about the risk of cannabis-impaired driving" after legalization.

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55 CN MB: Editorial: Time To Clear Smoke On Manitoba's Pot PlanTue, 12 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)          Area:Manitoba Lines:83 Added:09/13/2017

THE reaction to last Friday's announcement of the Ontario government's plan for sales and regulation of legalized cannabis was, at best, mixed.

The document, promoted as "a safe and sensible approach to the retail of recreational cannabis," didn't seem to make all that many people completely happy.

At the plan's unveiling in Toronto, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said marijuana sales will be limited to a monopoly of cannabis stores under the control of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), with 40 free-standing locations slated to open in time for the July 1 pot legalization date and a total of 150 to be established by 2020.

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56 CN MB: Manitoba Asks Ottawa For Clarity On ImplementationWed, 13 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Israel, Solomon Area:Manitoba Lines:60 Added:09/13/2017

THE government of Manitoba wants Ottawa to provide "further clarity" on how it will support provinces in implementing Bill C45, the Cannabis Act.

In a Tuesday news release, Manitoba Justice Minister Heather Stefanson described cannabis legalization as "a significant shift in public policy with many challenges for the provinces and territories to address."

Road safety is an area of particular concern, said Stefanson, who expects that topic to be front and centre when justice ministers from the federal, provincial and territorial governments meet in Vancouver from today to Friday.

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57 CN MB: Ontario's Pot Plan Can Set StandardSat, 09 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Israel, Solomon Area:Manitoba Lines:194 Added:09/12/2017

Government union says public sales model best bet for health and safety

CANADA'S most populous province has announced a plan to sell legal marijuana through a publicly owned system, which is music to the ears of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union.

MGEU president Michelle Gawronsky said she hopes Ontario's plan to sell cannabis separately from alcohol in publicly owned, stand-alone stores will set an example for Manitoba. A public sales model operated by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation would be the best possible option from a public health and safety perspective, she argued.

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58 CN MB: OPED: U.S. Offers Lessons For LegalizationFri, 08 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Kriznic, Dan Area:Manitoba Lines:105 Added:09/09/2017

IF Canada's experience with legal recreational marijuana parallels what is taking place in U.S. states, we have much to anticipate in terms of entrepreneurial ferment, job creation, wealth expansion and boosted tax receipts.

Legal recreational marijuana has been law in Colorado for three and a half years, and a little more than three years in Washington. Oregon staggered its rollout of recreational marijuana between 2015 and last year, Alaska and Nevada's programs are up and running and soon to follow are Massachusetts, Maine and the cannabis behemoth known as California.

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59 CN MB: Weed WorriesWed, 30 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Larkins, David Area:Manitoba Lines:82 Added:09/01/2017

Residents have serious concerns about people driving after using pot

Half of Manitoba adults believe driving while high is the same as or worse than driving drunk, according to a new Probe Research poll.

The poll, commissioned for CTV News, shows 34% of Manitobans over 18 years of age agree driving under the influence of alcohol is worse than driving while under the influence of marijuana. Another 16% said they were unsure, leaving a full 50% of Manitobans who believe driving after smoking is worse than driving after drinking.

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60 CN MB: Pass That Joint, But First, Ditch The Car KeysWed, 30 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Israel, Solomon Area:Manitoba Lines:62 Added:09/01/2017

Manitobans OK with toking neighbours: survey

MOST Manitobans are unfazed by the thought of a pot-smoking neighbour, but are less comfortable with the prospect of drivers under the influence of cannabis - or the idea of selling edible marijuana products in bars, according to a Probe Research poll commissioned by CTV Winnipeg.

Sixty-seven per cent of respondents said they wouldn't be bothered to learn their neighbour "was a regular marijuana user as opposed to a regular alcohol drinker," an attitude that was consistent across all age groups.

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61 CN MB: Step In Right DirectionFri, 01 Sep 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Friesen, Jason Area:Manitoba Lines:59 Added:09/01/2017

Province announces Overdose Awareness Day at rally at Legislature

Moms Stop The Harm hosted their second annual gathering to honour loved ones lost to addiction and overdose on Thursday at the Manitoba Legislature.

The Manitoba government announced at the event that August 31 would be International Overdose Awareness Day.

The news for grieving parents like Carol Ward, who lost her daughter Lisa Erickson to overdose in April, is seen as a step in the right direction. But Ward believes more needs to be done.

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62 CN MB: PUB LTE: Drug Prohibition The ProblemTue, 29 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Buors, Chris Area:Manitoba Lines:34 Added:08/31/2017

Re: Winnipeg in grips of meth problem, say police (Aug. 27)

Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Jay Murray is wrong when he says "the majority of property crime in the city is related to the methamphetamine subculture." Drug prohibition is responsible, just as it was when cocaine was the drug de jour in the past.

The drug problem boils down to some people want to use those drugs and other people don't want them to.

The short of it is that it is none of your business what drugs the next door neighbours are using since none of that use harms you.

Repeal drug prohibition and the majority of property crime would end since these drugs that people want could be obtained for cheap and of a known purity at the local pharmacy.

Chris Buors

Selkirk

[end]

63 CN MB: Town Hall To Bring Clarity On Legal PotTue, 29 Aug 2017
Source:Metro (Winnipeg, CN MB) Author:Jones, Braeden Area:Manitoba Lines:61 Added:08/31/2017

A town hall in St. James Tuesday night will try to clear the air for any Winnipeggers with questions about cannabis legalization in advance of a legislation review this fall.

Hosted by Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley MP Doug Eyolfson, the event will feature an in-depth review of Bill C-45-which would amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Criminal Code and other acts-expert testimony from witnesses at the federal health committee.

Eyolfson said he's hosting the town hall to discuss the legislation and its objectives, but also to hear his constituent's thoughts.

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64 CN MB: No Plans For Safe Injection Site: WRHAWed, 23 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Thorpe, Ryan Area:Manitoba Lines:83 Added:08/23/2017

THERE are no plans to open a supervised injection site in Winnipeg, a spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said in the wake of Toronto opening its first city-run space for people to inject illegal drugs.

Supervised injection sites are legal facilities where drug users are able to use intravenous substances under medical supervision. They have been a controversial harm-reduction strategy since the first North American site opened in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside in 2003. Toronto opened its first official site Monday.

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65 CN MB: Hard Dose Of RealityMon, 21 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Pursaga, Joyanne Area:Manitoba Lines:72 Added:08/22/2017

Spike in Winnipeg drug overdoses - including opioids

The number of annual drug overdoses in Winnipeg is on the rise.

Data from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) show that emergency crews are responding to more overdoses, with 1,648 patients arriving with a drug overdose complaint at emergency rooms and urgent care facilities during the first seven months of this year. There were 2,565 such calls throughout 2016, up from 1,981 in 2014.

And Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to 1,185 poisoning and overdose calls in 2017 (as of July 31), 1,803 in 2016 and 1,328 in 2014. Both agencies note alcohol is responsible for many cases.

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66 CN MB: Pallister Still Hazy On Pot Plan, But Help Could Be On The WayMon, 14 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Lett, Dan Area:Manitoba Lines:134 Added:08/15/2017

IN his struggles to come up with a regime to control the sale of recreational marijuana, Premier Brian Pallister may have found a powerful ally.

Shoppers Drug Mart.

Despite a looming July 1, 2018 deadline to have a system in place, the province has been very reluctant to talk about how it would like to handle the production, distribution and sales of recreational pot. Last month, Justice Minister Heather Stefanson issued an expression of interest to find potential partners and solutions to handle all aspects of legalized marijuana.

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67 CN MB: PUB LTE: Slow Movement On MarijuanaMon, 14 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Vorauer, Jack Area:Manitoba Lines:35 Added:08/15/2017

Add this to the reasons why marijuana should be legalized: more than 100 years ago, the cigarette companies had Congress legalize their products. The only reasons were the farmers who were growing their own tobacco; the government wanted the taxes and still does.

Their products are still there today; all of them are the No. 1 cause of lung cancer.

It says this on each package, and they are sold everywhere.

Marijuana is a green plant not loaded with chemicals to keep it burning, as cigarettes are, and does not cause any kind of cancer. It also has some medical qualities that are useful and some qualities that have to be controlled, (but) not as much as alcohol.

Months to "get it right" is not difficult. They should call this "The Marijuana Waltz."

Jack Vorauer

Winnipeg

[end]

68 CN MB: Hidden DangerSat, 12 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Larkins, David Area:Manitoba Lines:74 Added:08/15/2017

Family finds drug paraphernalia tucked away in hotel room

A Winnipeg hotel is changing protocols for housekeeping staff after a family found a syringe and "rocks" of drugs inside their room last weekend.

Nicole Hamm said her husband Neil located drugs and paraphernalia hidden on a ledge underneath the bathroom sink of their Victoria Inn Winnipeg hotel room last Saturday. In photos and video posted to Facebook by Nicole Hamm, a syringe is visible, as are three white "rocks" of an undetermined substance placed in spoons.

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69 CN MB: Under CoverSat, 12 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Billeck, Scott Area:Manitoba Lines:76 Added:08/15/2017

RCMP add fentanyl protective gear

Manitoba's 1,080 front-line RCMP officers are getting an added layer of protection in the fight against fentanyl and other opioid exposure in the province.

The Manitoba government is investing nearly $54,000 on new personal protective equipment, which the RCMP say will be available to each of their front-line officers by the end of the year.

The new equipment kit, paid for by the criminal property forfeiture fund, includes respiratory and eye protection.

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70 CN MB: Criminals Paying For Mounties' Fentanyl Safety GearSat, 12 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Kusch, Larry Area:Manitoba Lines:76 Added:08/15/2017

MANITOBA RCMP officers are being equipped with special masks and goggles to protect them in the event they're exposed to fentanyl, a potentially deadly synthetic opiate.

They will also switch to black latex gloves instead of the standard-issue blue ones to better detect the white powder.

Criminals are footing the bill.

Justice Minister Heather Stefanson announced on Friday that the provincial government will spend nearly $54,000 from its criminal property forfeiture fund to equip more than 1,000 front-line Mounties with the new gear. Also included will be specialized drums to store evidence.

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71 CN MB: Pot Legalization Dominates RoundtableSat, 12 Aug 2017
Source:Brandon Sun (CN MB) Author:Clarke, Tyler Area:Manitoba Lines:103 Added:08/15/2017

Initially slated to address the national opioid crisis, the majority of questions addressed during Friday's roundtable discussion centred on the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Larry Maguire and Conservative Party of Canada health critic Rachael Harder headed the roundtable discussion at the Trails West Inn, whose question period quickly pushed aside the opioid crisis, which hasn't impacted Brandon as heavily as it has some other areas of the nation.

There were 2,458 opioid-related deaths in Canada last year, of which 24 were in Manitoba.

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72 CN MB: LTE: Legalized PotWed, 02 Aug 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Munroe, Donald Area:Manitoba Lines:25 Added:08/05/2017

Re: Pot legalization on agenda. Let's first get alcohol and its deadly effects under control, prior to the legalization of marijuana. I really question Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sanity in this area. Why mix gasoline with dynamite?

Donald Munroe



(Most Canadians are OK with legalized pot.)

[end]

73 CN MB: Panel To Demystify Pot Rules For Elite AthletesThu, 03 Aug 2017
Source:Metro (Winnipeg, CN MB) Author:Jones, Braeden Area:Manitoba Lines:72 Added:08/05/2017

Educational materials put together for Canadians

When Canada legalizes cannabis, Canadian athletes of all levels-including those vying for or competing in the Canada Games-will still have to be careful not to contravene anti-doping rules.

Glen Bergeron, who teaches kinesiology and applied health at the University of Winnipeg, is part of an ad hoc committee with the Canadian Centre of Ethics and Sport "discussing this issue at the national level."

"The issue is that cannabis is a banned substance on the international banned substance list," Bergeron said. "We need to be able to educate these athletes that it may be legal to use, but it's still regarded as a banned substance."

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74 CN MB: Tories Seek Help On Marijuana BusinessFri, 28 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Gerster, Jane Area:Manitoba Lines:98 Added:08/02/2017

NDP says government-run Liquor Marts best initial option

THE Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba will likely be the province's regulator for cannabis, although Justice Minister Heather Stefanson said "nothing is off the table," 11 months before Canadians will be able to legally buy it over the counter.

Stefanson spoke with reporters Thursday, shortly after the Conservative government announced it had issued an expression of interest to determine how best to deal with the issues stemming from Ottawa's plan to enact the new law July 1.

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75 CN MB: Defence Promises Appeal In Mandatory Sentencing CaseThu, 27 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:May, Katie Area:Manitoba Lines:122 Added:08/01/2017

Judge 'troubled' but forced to lock up single mother of four children

PLANS to appeal a mandatory minimum sentence as unconstitutional are on the horizon for a Winnipeg mother who is now behind bars despite the judge's declaration that justice would not be served by locking her up.

Sandra Dignard, 37, was taken into custody Wednesday to start serving her two-year federal prison sentence for smuggling drugs into Stony Mountain prison five years ago. She tearfully said goodbye to her young son and pleaded with other relatives to take good care of all four of her children before sheriff's officers led her away, out of view of her family.

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76 CN MB: Sharp Rise In Violent CrimeTue, 25 Jul 2017
Source:Metro (Winnipeg, CN MB) Author:DePape, Keila Area:Manitoba Lines:52 Added:07/28/2017

Winnipeg shows highest rate in country

Violent crimes are on the rise in Winnipeg and police are pointing their fingers at drug trafficking and new technology.

The violent crime rate and - property crime rate - both rose by eight per cent from 2015, according to the Winnipeg Police Service's 2016 annual statistical report released Monday.

Statistics Canada also released data on the national crime rate, which shows that Winnipeg's violent crime rate is the highest in Canada.

Organized drug networks have "contributed to some of the increases of violence," said police chief Danny Smyth. Also, some drug users are turning to crime to feed their habits.

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77 CN MB: Column: Legal Pot Will Pose ChallengesTue, 25 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:DeGurse, Carl Area:Manitoba Lines:100 Added:07/28/2017

WILL you partake? That's a reasonable question given the upcoming legalization of marijuana, but it's only one of many questions that will arise.

The legalization of a recreational drug is extremely rare and it will challenge both the Pallister government and individual Manitobans with unaccustomed issues. The government is dealing only with legalities, leaving individuals on their own to resolve the personal, family and social issues that will come with legal marijuana.

At their meeting in Edmonton last week, the premiers mulled questions such as: where and how will it be sold? What will be the legal age to partake? How will courts prosecute drugged driving, given that breathalyzers don't work with marijuana intoxication? How many plants will gardeners be allowed to grow on their own?

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78 CN MB: Province Open To Offers For Pot ProcessFri, 28 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Pursaga, Joyanne Area:Manitoba Lines:81 Added:07/28/2017

The Manitoba government is seeking out private input on who should sell legal pot and how they should do so.

But Justice Minister Heather Stefanson said public sales haven't been ruled out and the Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba is "pretty likely" to wind up regulating the industry.

The province issued an expression of interest Thursday to determine options for the distribution and sale of cannabis.

"No options are off the table right now. We are opening this up to get more ideas on how to do this," Stefanson said.

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79 CN MB: PUB LTE: Get With The Pot ProgramSat, 22 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Stonard, Liz Area:Manitoba Lines:26 Added:07/25/2017

Excuse me! As a 64-year-old registered nurse from an RCMP family, if a Canadian citizen is considered old enough to legally put their lives on the line to sign up for military service at the age of 18, then they are plenty mature enough to decide whether or not to consume commonly used drugs such as alcohol or marijuana.

To legislators: quit being so hypocritically nanny state and, realistically, get with the program!

Liz Stonard

Port Alberni, B.C.

[end]

80 CN MB: Province's Stance On Legalization Frustrates MarijuanaSat, 22 Jul 2017
Source:Brandon Sun (CN MB) Author:Clarke, Tyler Area:Manitoba Lines:147 Added:07/25/2017

While Brandon's political representatives encourage the delay of the legalization of marijuana, local advocates of the plant are saying the day couldn't come soon enough.

Picking up related paraphernalia at Growers N' Smokers on Friday, veteran Michael Gibson said that his "disrespect" for Premier Brian Pallister is "huge, right now."

This week, Pallister publicly requested that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delay legalization for an extra year beyond the proposed date of July 1, 2018.

With too many questions that still need answering, we're just not ready for legalization, Brandon East Progressive Conservative MLA Len Isleifson said, sharing in some of Pallister's concerns about marijuana, more accurately called cannabis.

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81 CN MB: Liberals Firm On 2018 Pot LaunchFri, 21 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Martin, Nick Area:Manitoba Lines:110 Added:07/25/2017

Health minister rebuffs calls to delay legalization

THE federal government will stick with its July 1, 2018, deadline for marijuana legalization despite concerns from Premier Brian Pallister and other premiers.

Health Minister Jane Philpott said in Winnipeg on Thursday that civil servants across Canada are already preparing for legalization and there will not be an extension, which was requested by Pallister.

He has been adamant Manitoba won't be ready to cover the health, justice, safety, sale and production issues that need to be met by that time.

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82 CN MB: Police Can Confirm Pot Licences 24-7Wed, 19 Jul 2017
Source:Brandon Sun (CN MB) Author:Hitchen, Ian Area:Manitoba Lines:98 Added:07/21/2017

Health Canada says police officers can call them any time when it comes to confirming whether citizens have legal authority to produce and possess medicinal marijuana.

The department's ability to notify police of those who legitimately possess cannabis for that purpose was recently criticized in a lawsuit launched by a Brandon couple whose legal medical grow-op was mistakenly raided by RCMP.

"Health Canada negligently administered a system of license retention and issuance notification by failing to establish and maintain proper protocols for notice to arresting authorities … as to the legitimacy of licenses such as those held by persons such as the plaintiffs, and the plaintiffs in particular," Jerry Pomehichuk and Brenda Wakefield assert in their statement of claim.

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83 CN MB: Editorial: Pallister's Pot-Postponement ProblemThu, 20 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)          Area:Manitoba Lines:88 Added:07/21/2017

PREMIER Brian Pallister has shown great determination for tightening Manitoba's belt. But he's had less success finding new revenue to fatten the province's wallet.

For a premier who has unleashed a wide array of tough-love measures he says are necessary to return Manitoba to fiscal stability, Mr. Pallister has been surprisingly quiet about legalized marijuana as a potentially rich source of new revenue.

At a meeting of premiers in Edmonton this week, Pallister repeated his pitch for an extension of the federal government's July 1 deadline for legalization, saying provinces need more time to deal with tricky issues such as distribution, sales, a minimum age and drugged-driving enforcement.

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84 CN MB: Selling Pot 'Competition' With GangsSat, 15 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Martin, Nick Area:Manitoba Lines:110 Added:07/19/2017

Pallister says marijuana legalization makes province a dealer

OTTAWA is forcing the provincial government to compete with street gangs in the marijuana business next summer, Premier Brian Pallister said Friday.

The federal mandate for provinces to be ready for legal retail cannabis sales is July 1, 2018. That doesn't give Manitoba anywhere near the amount of time it will take to control sales and prepare for legal pot, he told reporters.

"There's no way we're going to supply the demand, except in part. It's pretty clearly understood, we don't have enough pot to sell," he said, outlining some of the issues he'll raise at next week's premiers meeting in Edmonton.

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85 CN MB: Pallister Wants Feds To Delay Pot Legalization TimelineFri, 14 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Pursaga, Joyanne Area:Manitoba Lines:74 Added:07/17/2017

Manitoba's premier believes legal pot sellers will be forced to compete with gangs and lack a sufficient supply of the drug to do so.

Premier Brian Pallister he expects the "unrealistic" federal timeline that mandates pot sales be legalized by July 2018 will lead to direct competition between legal and illegal sellers. He plans to lobby fellow premiers at a first ministers meeting in Edmonton next week to join his call to delay that date.

"There's no way that we're going to supply the demand, except in part. So therefore, we're moving into a situation where we're going to compete gradually with gang distribution marijuana. Right there, we're not in a position to take over the market with legal cannabis distribution systems because we don't have enough production," said Pallister.

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86 CN MB: Manitoba Slow To Sniff Out Pot-legalization OpportunitiesThu, 13 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)          Area:Manitoba Lines:81 Added:07/17/2017

THE Manitoba government will never have enough time to study and prepare for the impending legalization of marijuana.

At least, that's how Canadian cannabis advocate and president of Winnipeg 420's organizing committee, Steven Stairs, sees it.

Marijuana is already here, he said, and legalization won't change the fact that for years people have been buying and selling it, smoking and ingesting it.

"They're fostering the black market right now," Stairs said of the government's slow response to legalization.

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87 CN MB: Pot Poll PlannedThu, 13 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Lambert, Steve Area:Manitoba Lines:64 Added:07/14/2017

Manitoba wants to know about your marijuana use as it prepares for legalization

The Manitoba government plans to poll residents about their marijuana consumption and what kind of rules they would like to see when recreational pot is legalized next year.

The provincial liquor and gaming authority is looking for a company to do 15-minute surveys of at least 1,200 Manitobans in the coming months as it prepares for the new law.

"We don't have a great understanding about cannabis as a substance and how people use it," said Kristianne Dechant, the authority's communications and research manager.

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88 CN MB: Folk Festival Stocks Up On Naloxone KitsFri, 07 Jul 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Sanders, Carol Area:Manitoba Lines:77 Added:07/10/2017

FOR the first time, naloxone kits will be available at the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

Festival spokeswoman Kelly Romas said Thursday any of the event's 60 first-aid volunteers can administer the medication that reverses the effect of an opioid overdose, which can slow down or stop a person's breathing.

More than 100 Manitobans die from overdose every year and opioids are most often involved, says Street Connections, the Winnipeg-based health agency that supports harm-reduction and provides health care to people on the street.

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89 CN MB: Drug Charges Tossed After Suspectsa Rights ViolatedWed, 28 Jun 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:May, Katie Area:Manitoba Lines:79 Added:07/03/2017

DRUG bust worth about a quarter of a million dollars has been tossed out of court because city police violated the charter rights of two men they detained and subjected to a warrantless search.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Sheldon Lanchbery dismissed all drug trafficking charges against Benjamin James White and Jaden Joshua Omeasoo earlier this month, after he ruled officers violated their rights every step of the way.

"We will never know how this incident may have evolved if those rights had been provided," Lanchbery said in his decision. "The officers are not permitted

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90 CN MB: Editorial: Be Safe Out ThereSun, 25 Jun 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)          Area:Manitoba Lines:63 Added:06/30/2017

It's that time of year again, when the reminder's needed on all sorts of fronts. From water safety to fire safety to reminding folks that drinking and driving and piloting an automobile under the influence of drugs are terrible ideas.

Let's hope we don't get any graphic and tragic reminders that become cautionary tales for all teens and their parents.

First, young and inexperienced drivers are hugely overrepresented in crashes. Parents, talk to your kids about safe driving.

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91 CN MB: PUB LTE: Pot Fears OverblownFri, 23 Jun 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Coates, Jordan Area:Manitoba Lines:60 Added:06/23/2017

Re: Province should control marijuana sales (June 19)

Do we need to own a permit to purchase alcohol annually? No. Is there plain packaging for alcohol? No. Does the government only sell two types of alcohol? No. Does the government track everyone who purchases alcohol? No. Do we have a government task force to monitor who has legal alcohol in their homes? No. Does the MLL sell any intoxicating substances other than alcohol? No.

Did the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health determine alcohol is one of the greatest public health threats in Canada in 2013? Yes. Alcohol accounts for eight per cent of all deaths for people under 70 years old currently and has a burden of $14.6 billion on our health-care and law enforcement services, according to a 2013 study, Strategies to Reduce Alcohol-Related Harms and Costs in Canada: A Comparison of Provincial Policies.

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92 CN MB: Editorial: Provinces Can't 'Just Say No' To Legalized PotThu, 22 Jun 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)          Area:Manitoba Lines:89 Added:06/22/2017

SOME Manitobans might not like it, but at least this province now knows where it stands with its request for an extension of the date when marijuana will be legalized. There will be no extension. Ready or not, Manitobans - like all Canadians - can legally light up on July 1, 2018.

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen spoke out this week after returning from a two-day summit of his provincial and federal colleagues, frustrated that his request for a deadline extension was denied by federal finance minister Bill Morneau.

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93 CN MB: OPED: Province Should Control Marijuana SalesMon, 19 Jun 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Bird, Malcolm G. Area:Manitoba Lines:136 Added:06/21/2017

THE Trudeau government is set on legalizing marijuana by the summer of 2018. While they will enjoy the political payoff of appearing progressive on this matter, all of the associated problems and the logistics of doing so will fall on the shoulders of the provincial governments and their civic counterparts.

I suggest the Manitoba provincial government draw lessons from the last time an illegal substance was legalized following Prohibition in the late 1920s, as well as from the current public health efforts to eliminate tobacco use in Canada as a means to guide their policy on marijuana.

[continues 927 words]

94 CN MB: Judge Slams Law, Delays SentencingSat, 20 May 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:May, Katie Area:Manitoba Lines:107 Added:05/24/2017

Gives mom convicted of drug smuggling time to arrange child care ahead of mandatory prison term

In a case that has raised questions about the effect of mandatory minimum sentences, a Manitoba judge has taken pity on a woman he convicted by agreeing to give her more freedom before he sends her to prison.

In a likely unprecedented move, Justice Sheldon Lanchbery reserved his decision and delayed the sentencing of 37-year-old Sandra Dignard by about two months. That will allow the mother of four time to make child-care arrangements before she is placed in custody. The judge said he has no choice but to sentence Dignard to two years in prison for drug trafficking, despite his belief she should not be locked up.

[continues 654 words]

95 CN MB: Don't Sell Pot, Booze Together: MGEUWed, 17 May 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Kusch, Larry Area:Manitoba Lines:94 Added:05/20/2017

WHEN marijuana is legalized in Canada, it should be sold in standalone publicly operated stores, the head of the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union (MGEU) says.

Michelle Gawronsky said the union believes that Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corp. should be responsible for selling cannabis products, but that marijuana not be marketed in booze stores.

"You don't want to be selling the two together. You want to be socially responsible. That's the whole idea here," she said following a public hearing on Bill 25, The Cannabis Harm Protection Act.

[continues 524 words]

96 CN MB: PUB LTE: Booze Is WorseThu, 18 May 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Elston, Jacqueline Area:Manitoba Lines:38 Added:05/20/2017

In Larry Comeau's letter he quotes a report that marijuana related ER visits in Colorado among kids have quadrupled since legalization. Previously, marijuana possession and use was a felony. It might just be the increase in visits to the ER since legalization has something to do with users in Colorado no longer fearing prosecution if they seek help while under the influence. Is it not possible that mental illness issues in general are on the rise in young people unrelated to marijuana use? It would certainly seem so according to many recent studies.

[continues 108 words]

97 CN MB: LTE: Legalization Not EasySun, 14 May 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Comeau, Larry Area:Manitoba Lines:35 Added:05/16/2017

Re: Marijuana related ER visits among kids quadruple at Colorado hospital.

With pot legalization to take place on July 1, 2018, this is a scary report for parents. There really is no surprise to anyone following reports from the U.K., U.S. Surgeon General and the Canadian Medical Association all stating unequivocally that the youngest smoking pot run a greatly enhanced risk of suffering psychosis and other mental issues. Yet Trudeau is ignoring these studies, setting 18 as the age to purchase pot. Legalization is all about his pleasing a certain voting block and of course raking in billions in sales. This is the most dangerous move by any Canadian government. Early on Colorado had warned Trudeau that legalization is the easy part, everything thereafter, including the entrance of organized crime, much more difficult.

Larry Comeau



(Parents have a role to play in this. Where government fails, parents are responsible for their children's safety.)

[end]

98 CN MB: Lighting Up At The LegislatureFri, 21 Apr 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Olson, Matthew Area:Manitoba Lines:108 Added:04/25/2017

Marijuana enthusiasts gather to celebrate annual holiday in haze of smoke

THE rain may have thinned the crowds - and clouds of smoke - at the Winnipeg 4/20 celebration Thursday, but cannabis supporters still kept their spirits high and their joints lit.

People gathered together on the lawn and sidewalks outside of the Manitoba legislature for the event held every April 20. More planning went into this year's festivities than ever before, with vendors and food trucks lining the street.

This year was a bit different than it has been in the past. Now that the federal Liberal government has tabled a bill to make marijuana legal by Canada Day in 2018, there is cause for celebration - and some frustration.

[continues 601 words]

99 CN MB: Justice Minister Disturbed By Young SmokersFri, 21 Apr 2017
Source:Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Author:Martin, Nick Area:Manitoba Lines:50 Added:04/25/2017

JUSTICE Minister Heather Stefanson looked out her legislature building window Thursday with dismay at how many young people were on the lawn smoking up.

"It does disturb me how many young people were out there today," Stefanson told reporters.

She didn't go outside and she kept her window closed, Stefanson said with a smile.

But Stefanson was all seriousness when she reiterated her fears that federal legislation shows no signs of educating young people about the dangers of marijuana, especially of driving after using pot.

[continues 173 words]

100 CN MB: Weeding Out AnxietyFri, 21 Apr 2017
Source:Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Author:Larkins, David Area:Manitoba Lines:73 Added:04/25/2017

4/20 participants extol virtues of pot as drug that helps you cope

Leigh Filbert admits he lived the "rock-star lifestyle" in the past and acknowledges now his body is paying for it.

Filbert suffered a stroke a little over a year ago that left the right side of his body paralyzed. He suffers from anxiety he also contends is paralyzing, emotionally.

Attending his first 4/20 rally, Filbert biked around the Legislature grounds on Thursday "to gather constructive information" about the cannabis movement as he continues on his road to recovery.

[continues 398 words]


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