Territorial government preparing for federal marijuana legalization
Activist Kim MacNearney hopes work includes public consultation as feds move to pass legislation in spring
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The territorial government has formed an inter-departmental working group to prepare for the eventual legalization of marijuana across Canada.
Kim MacNearney, one of Yellowknife's best known marijuana advocates, says she hopes the territorial government reaches out to her as leaders prepare for the legalization of pot next year. - NNSL file photo |
The group is also in discussions with the federal government, according to Department of Justice spokesperson Sue Glowach.
"The working group includes representatives from the departments of Justice, Health and Social Services, Transportation, Finance and Education, Culture and Employment," Glowach stated in an e-mail to Yellowknifer. "The working group has had initial discussions on the implications of legalization for the NWT but more advanced planning will be contingent on the results of the report of the (federal) Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation."
The task force was established by the minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the minister of Health, according to Glowach. She stated the task force's mandate is to inform the federal government's commitment legalize and regulate marijuana. The report is expected to be released to federal ministers by the end of the month ahead of next April's anticipated marijuana legalization legislation.
"The information on potential systems for production, distribution, promotion and taxation provided in the report should make it possible to determine what the role of the ... territories will be," she stated.
According to Glowach, there is no plan at this point to involve the public in their discussions until the territorial government has a better idea of what jurisdiction it will have over regulating marijuana.
Meanwhile, one of Yellowknife's best known pot advocates says there is a lot to discuss, and would like to take part of public consultations, if there are any.
She pointed to questions such as whether pot will be sold in liquor stories or by private businesses or a combination of the two. MacNearney said she is leaning towards the private sellers model because not all communities in the NWT have liquor stores.
"Many people who I deal with use marijuana as harm reduction to get away from alcohol and other drugs," she told Yellowknifer. "So you would be sending people who just want one thing into this place where they are being exposed to a whole other element and vice versa. It doesn't seem quite proper."
MacNearney said she thinks the territorial government should license a distributor that would have the ability to be represented in the communities.
She added she believes it is important at this stage for the government to ask municipal officials and indigenous leaders if they even want legal marijuana sold in their communities. She also hopes representatives in the communities make sure they make an informed decision when weighing their options on legal marijuana.
"Marijuana is a lot safer that alcohol. People are not known to become violent when they are consuming cannabis," MacNearney said. "They are definitely known to become violent when consuming alcohol. Why not give people the choice at least?"
MacNearney said as an advocate for medical marijuana users in the NWT, she still hears horror stories from patients who want a prescription to deal with their pain issues.
"I'm hearing that some doctors in the NWT are prescribing but I'm still getting at least three phone calls or e-mails a week from people who said they approached their doctors here in town and the doctors walked out of the office and told them they won't even speak about it," MacNearney said.
"I took a call from a man who was not only refused here in town but was also refused at the pain clinic in Alberta."
MacNearney explained medical marijuana remains a grey area in the NWT but added she is hopeful the process will be simplified once it is legal. Health Minister Jane Philpott announced to the United Nations General Assembly earlier this year that the federal government plans to introduce legislation to legalize marijuana in spring 2017.
Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart said he would also like to know exactly what the working group is discussing and whether the government is properly preparing for the legalization of marijuana.
"We don't know what this new regime is going to look like. It's not just going to come about where there is a whole new world for pot in Canada," Testart said.
"It can't just be built by the federal government - it has to be built by the provinces and territories."
Yellowknifer reached out to the Department of Justice to find out exactly how the working group is operating and who is sitting on it. There was no response as of press time.
Questions to Yellowknife RCMP for their thoughts on how they would like to see marijuana sold in the NWT once it becomes legal were referred to the Mounties' national media office in Ottawa.
