My letter to everyone at that table this morning...
I listened to the announcement of the task force on marijuana this morning, and I was left disappointed and a little confused. While your government campaigned on a promise of legalization with the aim of protecting children and removing organized crime, everything being said points to exactly the opposite outcome. One hundred years of prohibition certainly hasn't had that affect and limiting production to a very small, exclusive, government selected group is going to insure the black market continues to thrive.
The ministers and others at the announcement were very evasive on the question of allowing personal grows, even for medical users. If the plan is to limit growing to licensed producers for the recreational market, I would suggest your government save face by abandoning legalization now. Every argument the government brought to ban medical grows was overruled by the judge. The courts have said there is no inherent risk to growing cannabis. Refusing to allow for personal gardens in a system that has been promised to be a 'model for the world', while other jurisdictions are enjoying much success with a less restrictive system, will guarantee failure. Not a good look when you have invited the world to watch. You will also have to justify why cannabis cannot be produced by responsible adults while allowing home alcohol and tobacco production. Cannabis is inherently safer than either of those substances so trying to convince the public that they aren't capable of safe production and use isn't going to work.
What I saw on that list of task force members were a whole lot of politicians, doctors and police. I don't believe any of them have ever tried cannabis. How can a group meet to decide on something they have absolutely no personal knowledge of? I believe it was the justice minister who commented on bringing in 'stakeholders' as part of the consultations, yet there were no names I recognized from the cannabis community. At what point do you consider consumers, patients and taxpayers to be stakeholders? ( Hint: We voted you into your job...)
The rumours have been swirling for months about the possibility of backroom deals with the licensed producers and the Liberal government. We are aware there are a number of politicians, party members, associates and supporters with deep pockets invested heavily in the LP market and the optics of making them the sole providers is very bad. I tried to dispel those accusations as paranoia, now I'm not too sure. I guarantee there will be a magnifying glass on the connections to expose any corruption.
I hope you will take direction from all Canadians by inviting, listening to and acting on their directions. The task force in it's current form will have zero credibility without input from the true stakeholders.
Your first chance to get it right and tell us your intent, is August 24th when you answer the Allard ruling. Justice Phelan was very clear when he said our gardens posed no risk. Patients and our legal council are very clear they expect it to mean we can grow. Anything less will be immediately challenged in court. It will be extremely hard to implement a recreational cannabis system Canadians can accept if the Liberals are seen to be continuing the Harper government policy of attacking patients.
There were four supposed areas of concern that resulted in the decision to ban medical grows in favour of the mmpr. Fire, mould, home invasion and diversion and all were ruled to be unfounded, so unless there is something new, I can see no valid justification to limit my freedoms. The only possible reason would be to boost the profitability of licensed producers and their investors at the expense of the sick.
A failure respect the hard won rights of cannabis patients on August 24 will signal to all Canadians and the world that Justin Trudeau's 'Sunny Ways' have been replaced with the seedy darkness of the Harper-era.
