Toronto endorses province’s pot plan
Toronto city council has, by a narrow margin, endorsed Premier Kathleen Wynne’s plan for tightly regulated marijuana sales through LCBO-style stores.
Council voted 21-16 Wednesday in favour of backing Wynne’s pot plan, while demanding that the city be compensated for any related costs when the federal government legalizes marijuana next year.
Councillor Cesar Palacio, chair of the licensing committee, said the city must endorse the closure of all illegal, private dispensaries to prevent “chaos” in the new marijuana marketplace.
Many councillors, however, said the provincial approach freezes out the marijuana advocates who fought for — and in many cases were jailed — to move public opinion in favour of legalization. Councillor Paula Fletcher said 16,000 Canadians have been charged with marijuana offences since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his government would end pot prohibition. Many of those who continue to be arrested are visible minorities, she said, noting that those positioning themselves to be players in the legal marijuana marketplace include former Toronto police chief Julian Fantino and former deputy chief Kim Derry. Another former Toronto chief, Bill Blair, is the Liberal MP overseeing the new federal marijuana regime.
The provincial rules would restrict the legal smoking of pot to people’s homes. Toronto council asked the medical officer of health to advise on safe places for people who require medical marijuana to consume it outside their homes.