2018 pot day not like the others
April 20 is the day advocates of legalizing marijuana circle on the calendar to promote legitimizing the drug.
This year’s arrived in Medicine Hat about four days after it was announced one of the world’s largest medical cannabis production facilities would be built in the city.
It also arrives before the recreational use of the narcotic will be decriminalized later this year.
That creates a different, and still rapidly changing landscape in the generally conservative rural Alberta.
Caelan Hart works as a “cannabis councillor” in Medicine Hat, discussing the substance with those who are interested.
He said attitudes are deeply held, but some are changing.
“When I’m talking about it now I’m getting much more of a mix of opinion,” Hart said prior to a community cleanup of the downtown and a public smoking of pot on the steps of city hall. “It’s going to be the largest (single) employer in Medicine Hat. It’s going to be putting food on people’s tables, and when people see that, it’s going to be a tipping point for public opinion.”
This week, Aurora Cannabis announced a planned 1.2-million square-foot facility in Medicine Hat that will cost “well north of $130 million” to build. According to company CEO Terry Booth, it will likely employ 450 people on a permanent basis starting next year.
City council members and business groups reactions have been generally very enthusiastic.
However, a full third of those responding to a web poll in the News said even large investment and new jobs didn’t sway their opinion against the drug.
Mayor Ted Clugston said the difference between medical and recreational use is important, and the city is only providing utility services to a major employer, not endorsing the product or making any other investment.
“It might be misunderstood,” said Clugston. “We’re going to get some blame, but I didn’t legalize it.”
Medicine Hat MP Glen Motz has been extremely critical of the federal government’s plan to decriminalize marijuana later this year, claiming the costs and effects on public safety and public health aren’t known.
Since the Aurora facility will produce cannabis for medical use — something he is in favour of — said Motz, the announcement is very encouraging.
“I’m thrilled by a great economic announcement ... for what’s been an otherwise depressed area over the last several years,” he said Friday.
He added however, that the Liberal government’s plan to reducing the general prohibition of the drug to something like alcohol is a mistake.
“I’m a realist,” said Motz. “Anyone, whether they’re in favour or not, would be naive to say that this won’t have longterm consequences for our society.”
Aurora has said it plans to strongly enter the legal recreational market, but the local production will also feed the Canadian and international medical markets, which is its current business.
“It’s a little star on the world map of cannabis production,” said Booth. “We’ll go after the adult usage market, but this is a medical plant that we believe in our soul is going to help a lot of people.”
Local web broadcaster Tom Fougere ran for mayor in late 2017, in part, he says, to advocate for getting the city to go after potential business in the rapidly expanding sector.
He said this week pot legalization is obviously a politically sensitive issue, and politicians are pointing to positives without endorsing pot.
“It’s interesting that when the (business) class makes a decision, it’s a great idea because it will create a lot of jobs,” he said. “But when younger people with no money talk about it, it can be ridiculed.”
He said he has received some anti-cannabis feedback since he told a mayoral election forum that the Hat should aim to become “the Grass City.”
He now gives credit to city hall, which was involved in behind-the-scenes talks with Aurora during the election but says, “It’s interesting that no one else talked about it.”
“There might have been (confidentiality) agreements, but nobody said even generally that it could be a possibility,” he said. “Nobody wanted to tread those waters or get close to that because they might have thought they’d lose votes and not know who they’d gain.”