Premiers seek more clarity on Marijuana legalizing

Canada’s premiers have expressed that  the federal government needs to provide more clarity on legalizing marijuana.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said the issues are critical. “The starting point is: Have we met the public safety concerns? Are we sure that we have the provisions in place to protect youth (and) do we understand what the highway traffic implications are?” she said. “We have to make sure that we can keep people safe,” she added.

“It’s great that the prime minister wants to stick to his deadline. That’s super-duper,” Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said at the closing news conference of the leaders’ annual summer meeting. “He needs to then hear what the premiers of his country — our country — have said we need help with. There are a number of significant and serious public policy issues here. They need to be addressed. They should be addressed co-operatively,” Premier Pallister added.

The federal government plans to pass legislation that would legalize cannabis as of July 1 next year. The premiers have formed a working group to identify common concerns, seek answers from Ottawa and to provide recommendations by November on how to move forward. It is up to the provinces to develop rules in their jurisdictions on how cannabis will be distributed and sold, what public places it will be allowed in and what the minimum age to buy it should be.

“We’ll work to the deadline, but as things stand right now there is work that also needs to be done by the federal government in order for us to meet it,” said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.

“We need to put an end to this policy that does not work,” Prime Minister Trudeau said. “We are continuing to work with the provinces to make sure the framework will be in place a soon as possible.”

The next premiers meeting is set for next July 18-20 in New Brunswick.