Work continues on provincial marijuana issues while awaiting federal bill
New Brunswick's assistant deputy minister for public safety says it's not 100 per cent clear yet what issues will have to be dealt with at the provincial level as the date approaches to reveal the federal legislation that will legalize marijuana.
The Liberal government is expected to unveil legislation during the week of April 10 that will legalize marijuana in Canada by July 1, 2018. The legislation will broadly follow the recommendation of a federally appointed task force that was chaired by former liberal Justice Minister Anne McLellan
Mike Comeau, chair of the provincial working group on legalizing cannabis said until the bill is introduced in April, the group can only concentrate on those decisions and issues that it knows will fall within its jurisdiction.
"We know a few things we are going to have to decide," he said. "It's become quite clear provinces are going to have to decide what's the best model for distribution and retail in each province."
He added provinces will also be responsible for determining the legal age for possession of legalized marijuana.
"Should it be 18, as the feds are planning to enact or should it be something older than that?"
Comeau said the premiers in Atlantic Canada are hoping the four provinces go with a common age.
Lots of research
The working committee in New Brunswick will be working on legislation for impaired driving and usage in the workplace.
"Those are all areas in which we've been doing a fair bit of research into best practices in jurisdictions that have already legalized like the state of Colorado and state of Washington for example."
But as the release of the bill fast approaches, Comeau said the committee members will begin to speak to stakeholders and experts to see if they can add any additional information.
"We haven't even got to a point where we can engage the public and until we do that the government is not likely in a position to make final decisions on hardly anything."
Comeau added he could not say when that consultation will begin but said the government is already hearing from the public about it.
Getting prepared
"We are already hearing from members of the public who are taking the opportunity to call or email ministers or member of our working group."
When asked if what other provinces are doing will factor into what New Brunswick does, Comeau said it would be likely.
"The reality is none of the 10 provinces and three territories is really in a position to sit and wait for somebody else to make decisions and simply copy that," he said.
"It looks like we're going to have a window of about 14 months to go from the introduction of the idea to having provincial legislation and provincial systems ready to go."
