Manitoba's Justice Minister is calling for federal legislation to confirm that provinces can ban the home growth of marijuana plants. "I think that is clear that is provincial jurisdiction to make that decision. (But) I believe the federal (Justice) Minister made some comments that were a little concerning, so we wanted clarification on that," said Justice Minister Heather Stefanson, following a speech to Manitoba Chambers of Commerce members on cannabis legislation Thursday. "We've called (for) some clarification from the federal government. If they could put it specifically in legislation, that would be best." [continues 341 words]
The drugs have started eating away at our Punjabi youth. This disease has spread throughout North America. The desire to earn quick money without any hard work has pushed many Punjabi youth into drug trafficking. Last year a Punjabi husband and wife were caught by the RCMP with cocaine worth $8.4 million. It was a large consignment of drugs being taken from the United States to Calgary. The couple, identified as Gurminder Singh Toor, 31, and Kirandeep Kaur Toor, 26, were arrested in connection with the cocaine. [continues 506 words]
This summer, millennials, their anxious parents and users from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to Bay Street will get what they long believed was their right - the opportunity to toke up legally. That will be a seminal societal event (pun intended). However, what is attracting less attention than it should are breakthrough discoveries about how non-psychoactive cannabis extracts can alleviate suffering and treat diseases that afflict hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Legalization of a substance for recreational purposes and medical studies should be unrelated issues. But since they are based on the same plant, legal prohibitions and social stigma have held back research, thereby prolonging the suffering of patients and costing lives. [continues 534 words]
It would be interesting to know if the delay in implementing the new marijuana legalization legislation will mean police will continue to waste time and resources dragging people through the courts for "pot" related offences, right up until 11:59 p.m. on the eve of the day it becomes legal. Scott Campbell Grow-ops will still be illegal even after pot isn't. [end]
Ontario Senator Tony Dean, sponsor of the Trudeau Liberals' pot bill in the Upper Chamber, is upset that Canadians will not be able to legally light up their spliffs until long after Canada Day. He says time is of the essence, and that the government does not have the luxury of biding it. Why is this? Why, after more than 100 years of marijuana being illegal, does the good senator think pushing back the smoke date by a few weeks is the wrong thing to do? [continues 296 words]
Pallister government not budgeting for pot tax revenue this year If the Pallister government projects a reduced deficit in the 2018 provincial budget, it won't be because of a new pot tax. The Winnipeg Sun has learned that next month's budget will not include a revenue line from marijuana sales, even though legalized pot is expected to go on sale sometime later this year. Finance Minister Cameron Friesen confirmed government is not budgeting for any marijuana revenues in 2018-19 and is still examining the potential costs associated with legalized weed, including additional health care, road safety and justice costs. [continues 558 words]
A few groups feel they were overlooked in the competition to sell legal pot in Manitoba, including some small business owners. Rick Macl, owner of the Brandon shop Growers 'n Smokers, said he partnered with another business to submit a proposal. But he also said his eventual rejection letter was expected early on in that process, due to conditions set by the province. "I knew I had no chance having (less than) three stores going in alone. I was forced to join other companies," said Macl. "I was in desperation mode." [continues 360 words]
City forms committee to prepare for legal weed The City of Winnipeg has formed a new committee to guide its pot plans. The Cannabis Co-ordination Committee will guide local preparations as the feds prepare to legalize recreational marijuana sales, effective July 1. "The legalization of cannabis represents one of the most significant legal, social and economic policy changes our country has seen since prohibition and ... our municipal government needs to do everything we can to be as ready as possible for its legalization later this year," said Mayor Brian Bowman. [continues 254 words]
Winnipeg police raided two illegal marijuana dispensaries last week, just a few months before the plant becomes legal across the country. Police said two locations of the Winnipeg Compassion Club, one on Mcphillips Street and the other on Pembina Highway, were raided on Jan. 8 after a months-long investigation by the service's Marihuana Grow Operation Unit that found the dispensary to be openly selling pot at both outlets. The MGOU, and members of three different community support units carried out the raid, which turned up $25,000 worth of marijuana and $20,000 worth of marijuana in "alternate" forms, police said. Police also seized $6,000 in cash. Three men, ages 45, 28 and 27, have been arrested and charged with several crimes under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act along with possession of the proceeds of crime. All three were released and face future court dates. [end]
Re: NDP lobbying for safe injection site. What is it with all progressives pushing so called "safe injection sites" which is an oxymoron, as such places are anything but safe. Addicts may be getting clean needles, but they are still injecting street drugs of unknown quality. These drugs addicts commit serious crimes, placing the public at risk. Surely rather than facilitating drug addicts to feed their addiction, weaning them off their addiction, through rehabilitation, is a much better option. Addicts put huge strains on our ailing health-care services and most end up having a shortened life span caused by drug damage to their vital organs. Safe injection sites do not eradicate those problems! Larry Comeau (The theory is they might save a person's life be preventing overdose deaths and by mitigating other risks.) [end]
NDP lobbying for safe injection sites Manitoba's official opposition is lobbying for safe injection sites, in Winnipeg and beyond. NDP leader Wab Kinew said the Progressive Conservative government should spend some of the $10.9 million federal dollars it's received to address mental health and addictions to develop such sites, which he believes are needed in Winnipeg and other Manitoba communities. Kinew said the effort is critical to combat a surge in crystal meth and fentanyl abuse. "We know that safe (injection) sites save lives and we know that (addiction) is reaching crisis proportions. So we need to see action," said Kinew. [continues 303 words]
Manitobans want municipalities to get half of pot revenue: survey Most Manitobans believe municipalities should get at least half of the revenues raised through recreational pot taxes, a new survey says. A Probe Research poll commissioned by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities found 59% of respondents believe municipal governments should get between one half and all of the tax revenue from marijuana sales. Another 24% felt they should get less than half of the revenue and 16% weren't sure. The total doesn't add up to 100%, due to rounding. [continues 515 words]
A new poll suggests many Manitobans are ready for marijuana retailers to set up shop in their communities. Probe Research Inc. polled 1,000 adults in the province between Nov. 23 and Dec. 14 and 58% of Manitobans said they'd be comfortable with a marijuana store opening up in their neighbourhood, as opposed to the 40% who opposed it and the 3% who were unsure. "That 58% is healthy, we seem to be OK with this," said Mary Agnes Welch, senior researcher at Probe. "But there is a flip side to this, there are differences in Winnipegger's than rural residents. Winnipegger's are somewhat more comfortable with it than rural residents, non-Winnipeggers. And as you'd expect, older people are a bit less comfortable than younger people, but even a slim majority of older folks are cool with it. It seems to be reasonably universal comfort with this." [continues 116 words]
So, pot czar Justin Trudeau, realizing his actual street dealers were on the verge of a revolt, turned to his Mr. Big, Bill Morneau, and told him to divvy up a more saleable split of the profits from upcoming pot deals. When profits are projected to be in the billions, honour among thieves, and we say "thieves" with all due respect, begins to lose its lustre. After all, it will be the street dealers who will be taking on the majority of the risk, meaning all those premiers hypnotized by dollar signs who will have to set up their own turf, build their own drug outlets, collect the juice from the sales, and deal with law enforcement should the criminal element invade their space. [continues 501 words]
Re: Legalization of marijuana As the countdown continues to July, 2018 and the legalization of marijuana in Canada my concern for the future is not being addressed. A popular method of raising money today appears to be suing current governments for perceived past wrongs committed by previous governments. The door this opens, for the countless numbers that have been prosecuted for pot infractions over the years, to sue federal and provincial governments could bankrupt this nation. Would it be possible or practical to include some form of "notwithstanding" clause in the laws currently being written for enactment that would preclude this scenario? [continues 80 words]
Consumer advocacy group concerned marijuana treated differently than booze A consumer choice advocacy group has condemned the Manitoba government's plan to ban homegrown marijuana when it becomes legal in the country next year. David Clement, the North American affairs manager for the Consumer Choice Centre, an independent entity that aims to promote more choice and freedom for consumers, says the decision to ban the growing of pot in homes is "silly" questions why the ability Clement said the reason the CCC has spoken out is two-fold. [continues 366 words]
Province sets 19 as minimum age to buy pot You'll have to be 19 to buy recreational marijuana in Manitoba and only eligible medicinal users will be able to grow weed at home. If provincial legislation introduced Tuesday passes as is, the minimum purchase and possession age for recreational cannabis will be one year older than both the federally required minimum and Manitoba's legal drinking age. The feds are set to legalize recreational pot on July 1, 2018. The province says setting a higher-than-required minimum consumption age will help keep marijuana out of schools and out of the hands of kids. [continues 825 words]
Tracy Sanderson understood opioid addiction. Her daughter Kelsie began struggling with opioid addiction after she had a traumatic experience being tasered by RCMP officers. After drinking with some friends, Kelsie, who was 16 at the time, stole her parents' truck. When Sanderson received a call from RCMP officers, she said, "Keep my daughter overnight. She needs to learn a lesson." She did not expect to pick up a different girl the next day. "Something inside my daughter died that night," she said. That's when Kelsie's descent into fentanyl addiction began. [continues 986 words]
When the police came to Lois Fridfinnson's door and told her that her son, Michael Johnson, died from a methadone overdose, she fell to the floor. She thought that would be the worst day of her life. Her 23-year-old son struggled with opioid addiction. Michael had been waiting nearly three months to get into treatment. He had been given a two-day supply of methadone and was supposed to enter treatment on May 3, 2010. He died on May 1. [continues 1090 words]
As a power-lifter who could bench 340 pounds, a talented guitar player, and a driven young man with a strong work ethic who bought his own house at the age of 18, Jessie Kolb defied the stereotype of a fentanyl addict. If there's one thing his parents, Arlene Last-Kolb and John Kolb, have learned about opioid addiction is that it can happen to anyone and all the preconceived notions some people have about opioid addiction just perpetuate the stigma. [continues 1082 words]
When Dalton Fredericks took Jesse, his 18-year-old son, to the hospital because his son seemed dangerously high, he learned about the stigma associated with opioid addiction. "I took him to the hospital and I said, 'I want you to keep him here.' I went home and after three hours, I got a call from the hospital that they were releasing him," he said. The nurse told Fredericks that his son had been doing drugs, but there was not much they could do for him. He had the RCMP take Jesse into custody because he feared for his safety. [continues 1074 words]
Adam Watson didn't want to break his parents' hearts, and he did not want to die, but after battling opioid addiction for six years, he became the victim of a system woefully ill-equipped to help him. Adam tried a methadone program, he attempted to detox at the Main Street Project, he saw family physicians, he ended up in emergency four times in the throes of withdrawal, and he met with a counsellor at the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM). None of the treatment options or resources gave Adam the support he needed. [continues 544 words]
That fury you hear? The betrayal medical cannabis patients and activists feel after the federal government went back on yet another promise surrounding legal marijuana. Last Friday, the Department of Finance announced a federal tax proposal that could see an excise charge of $1/gram or 10% (whichever is higher) on both recreational and medical cannabis. According to Ottawa, the revenues will be shared equally between the feds, provinces and territories. So what are they smoking? The shady government is apparently 'concerned' users will lie to their doctors, pretend to be sick and navigate the complex workings of the medical cannabis system in order to save the extra 10% tax that would be reserved for recreational pot. [continues 480 words]
MGEU off-base when it comes to private pot stores Manitoba's largest union is accusing the Pallister government of compromising the safety of Manitobans and foregoing millions in profits by allowing private retailers to sell marijuana once it becomes legal next year. But as usual, the union provides some of the dumbest arguments possible to try to support its case. The province announced Tuesday that legal weed would be regulated by the Liquor and Gaming Authority but would be sold through private retail outlets. It would be much like how beer, wine and other liquor products are sold through vendors, private wine stores and private liquor outlets in rural Manitoba. The outlets are private but the products must be purchased through Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corp. [continues 539 words]
Legal pot sales could lead to $95M annual profits for province Legal pot sales in Manitoba could raise as much as $95 million a year for government after five years if the province could take over 80% of the black market, according to recent figures released by the Pallister government. The sales projections, which contemplate various levels of black market penetration, are based on selling marijuana products through stand-alone government stores. However, since the Pallister government has opted for private retail stores instead, updated projections could be higher or lower. [continues 217 words]
WINNIPEG - Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister signalled Monday that the province's private sector will be involved in the distribution of marijuana when recreational use is legalized next July. Pallister said details of the provincial plan to govern cannabis would be released Tuesday. He rejected earlier statements from the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union that sales should be done exclusively through government-run stores. Pallister said there will be some sort of a "hybrid option" - public-sector regulation and distribution combined with private-sector delivery - that could take business away from the existing black market. [continues 305 words]
If Colorado is any indication, provincial coffers will be filled Premier Brian Pallister may not be holding out much hope that the province will cash in on a windfall of taxation revenue from the legalization of marijuana. But if skyrocketing sales of commercially-available weed in the state of Colorado - which legalized pot in 2012 - are any indication, the government of Manitoba could be in for a sizeable revenue stream once the industry shifts into high gear. Pallister announced Tuesday that recreational marijuana, which becomes legal on July 1, 2018 under federal legislation, will be regulated by the provincial Liquor and Gaming Authority but sold through private retail outlets. The province issued a request for proposals Tuesday to solicit bids from private retailers. [continues 593 words]
There's plenty of interest in selling legal pot in Manitoba. The province notes an expression of interest on the subject attracted more than 60 responses. Premier Brian Pallister said that bodes well for his government's goal to ensure official marijuana stores are accessible enough to undermine the black market. Pallister said the province aims to ensure access to marijuana sales within a 30-minute drive for 90% of Manitobans to meet that goal. "We wish to see broad coverage, broad availability," he said. [continues 204 words]
Tells colleagues to disclose any ties to marijuana industry Manitoba's premier is calling on his cabinet colleagues to declare any potential conflicts of interest related to the marijuana industry. Premier Brian Pallister said his government will release details of a request for proposals next Tuesday that relates to the sale of recreational marijuana, which the feds will legalize on July 1, 2018. Pallister said it's clearly time to ensure all those who could benefit from the marijuana business don't sway the outcome of that process. [continues 202 words]
Pallister tells cabinet to come clean on marijuana ties. How rare in politics - a leader setting a high moral and ethical standard. Premier Pallister deserves kudos for ensuring none of his cabinet minsters will gain financially when marijuana is legalized. I have not seen any "progressive" government leaders, including the Trudeau Liberals, setting this same high standard. Pot legalization is certainly open to financial gain by those with the inside information. Premier Pallister is also one of the few provincial leaders wanting the feds to slow down the legalization date. Trudeau came up with this risky plan for votes and new revenues, but it will be the premiers who will be saddled with the many negative unintended consequences. Larry Comeau (Sad he felt he had to. It should go without saying.) [end]
Fentanyl traffickers are murderers, plain and simple On a warm Sunday, October afternoon, the kind of fall day when it seems anything is possible, I went to a funeral. I knew the dead man by proxy. I never met him. One of those things a dutiful partner does because it's the right thing to do. He was dead at 36. Fentanyl. Another casualty of the opioid epidemic ravaging cities and towns alike. Last summer a hometown buddy told me his daughter's friend, 14 at the time and with her whole life in front of her, was having a limited-time engagement at a local funeral parlour. [continues 439 words]
For a government that promised to legislate using evidence-based science, the rapid approach of legalized marijuana in Canada is starting to look like a case study in blind faith. Last week, federal justice officials issued the next round of details in their impending pot law. In addition to existing impaired-by-drug laws that police are already using to prosecute drugged drivers, three new criminal offences are destined to be born to deal with pot-impaired driving all based on the quantity of THC found in a person's body. [continues 388 words]
There are concerns that once pot is legalized for recreational use, it'll be flying off the shelves at such a rate that those who justifiably need it for pain - medical users - won't be able to get their stash. Cannabis growers have been expanding their operations as fast as possible, and Health Canada is issuing more licences, but it still might not be enough to meet the coming demand. Some analysts expect a countrywide shortage once the cannabis market goes legit in July 2018. [continues 311 words]
Schools have been called upon to teach more than the Three Rs for many decades now, but they should add one more assignment to their long list of lessons: Warning students about drug use, especially deadly opioids. There'll be some who'll say such a message will fall on deaf ears, but we have a duty to try. Today's young people deserve credit for their sensible approach to hazards such as cigarette smoking and impaired driving - they certainly exhibit more common sense than many of their predecessors. [continues 306 words]
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]
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. [continues 393 words]
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. [continues 239 words]
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. [continues 401 words]
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. [continues 414 words]
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. [continues 378 words]
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]
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. [continues 430 words]
Pallister monitoring fed decision on Churchill, wants Ottawa to delay pot legalization The federal government needs to "step up" on multiple matters that impact Manitobans, Premier Brian Pallister said Wednesday in a conference call with local media. Pallister said the province needs an answer from Ottawa on what to do about the ongoing crisis in Churchill before deciding its next move; and he reiterated his believe the feds need to push pause on their marijuana legalization, saying the stakes are too high to rush into a bold new era. [continues 240 words]
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. [continues 321 words]
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. [continues 276 words]
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. [continues 327 words]
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]
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]
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]
The federal government's proposed bill for legalizing marijuana expands police powers, sets new mandatory penalties for illegal possession, and boosts prison sentences for lawbreakers. That all sounds pretty tough. But the legislation also downloads some difficult decision-making on to provincial authorities, and from there on to municipalities and local police. That part's going to be tougher. For example: Where will legal cannabis be sold? The 130-page federal bill leaves this crucial detail to the province. Will it be in your local liquor store? At a corner store but hidden, like cigarettes? From some other outlet? Mail order only? And how close to a school or youth centre can sales take place? About all we know is you can't sell cannabis from a vending machine. [continues 283 words]
