Former Nova Scotia premier to advise and inform clients on cannabis legislation
Former Nova Scotia premier Darrell Dexter has a new portfolio: legal marijuana.
Dexter, who is vice-chairman of Global Public Affairs, will lead the firm’s new branch, called cannabisCONNECT.
He said legalized marijuana in Canada is probably still a year or more away.
“My bet is even if they introduce the legislation in the spring, you’re probably still a year away before seeing anything actually proclaimed,” Dexter said Thursday in an interview from Calgary.
He said they will assist companies across Canada to understand legislation and regulations being drafted by the federal government and other jurisdictions.
He noted municipalities will need regulations around retail locations.
“What the legislation is going to look like, what the regulatory regime is going to look like. Those are important to the industry, important to government and ultimately important to consumers and the public,” he said.
Dexter said he’ll provide the kind of information investors will need before making their decisions.
He noted a recent report from Deloitte that said the industry could reach in excess of $20 billion in Canada.
“It’s a new industry, and of course it is attracting a very
large amount of investment.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said recently that Ottawa is moving “properly and responsibly” to legalize marijuana, but the current law governing cannabis will stand until new legislation is ratified.
A federal task force has recommended that sales be allowed to Canadians 18 years and older.
“There’s going to be a lot of consultation with respect to the legislation, and that’s going to give you some sense of the view that the government takes in terms of how it’s going to be regulated, what the objectives
are that they want to achieve in this sector,” Dexter said.
Dexter was Nova Scotia’s first NDP premier, serving between 2009 and 2013.
He has been vice chair at Global Public Affairs for about two years, and led their work on other sectors such as energy, health, life sciences and telecommunications, before adding the cannabisCONNECT file.
In a release, Global Public Affairs said it will serve everyone from licensed producers and processors to stakeholders impacted by the new legislation including finance, health and wellness.