High hopes
The latest Corporate Research Associates (CRA) survey probably sent chills down the spine of finance ministers and premiers across Atlantic Canada. After returning home from Ottawa earlier in the week with a lucrative tax-sharing deal on the sale of legalized marijuana, visions of windfall revenues were quickly brought back to reality.
The CRA survey suggests that approximately 20 per cent of Atlantic Canadians plan to purchase pot once marijuana becomes legal July 1. That is about the same percentage that uses pot today — illegally.
So, it appears there won’t be a stampede by the population to get stoned once marijuana is legalized. Most people who shun pot today will still avoid the soft drug next July 1. The obvious difference is the 20 per cent of the population who use pot — regularly or occasionally — will be able to buy it at government-approved or operated outlets. The revenue will benefit the public purse instead of drug dealers.
For the first time, a slim majority of Atlantic residents (53 per cent) support legalization of marijuana for personal use, but only 15 per cent of Prince Edward Islanders plan to use marijuana when it becomes legal. The numbers are only slightly higher elsewhere in the region with Nova Scotia at 19 per cent, New Brunswick at 20 and Newfoundland and Labrador at 23.
The federal government was well off base with its initial offer of a 50-50 split of excise taxes with the provinces. Ottawa passed legislation to legalize pot and then unfairly dumped the costs of enforcement, distribution, education and treatment onto the provinces. The two-year deal gives provinces and territories a 75 per cent share of tax revenues, with a portion going to cities and towns to help them pay for enforcement costs. It’s much more fair and reasonable.
Ottawa suggests there is unlimited potential for pot to generate far more revenue but the feds shouldn’t get their hopes too high. Based on the CRA survey, Canadians might support legalization but a large majority doesn’t plan to smoke up
overnments like to preach that legalization is not about revenues but about protecting kids. Yes, the real benefits are control, product safety and getting rid of criminal elements. And to eliminate the illicit pot market, the ministers agreed to keep the per-gram price of legal marijuana at roughly $10 — or even lower — relatively cheap by most standards.
Another survey recently released also suggests that future tax revenue for pot is exaggerated. An Ontario study indicates that in the last 20 years, the proportion of students who reported drinking alcohol dropped to 43 per cent from 66, while smoking rates plummeted to seven per cent from 28, and marijuana use dropped to 19 per cent from 28.
Young people are better educated, more concerned with their health and more aware that alcohol and smoking — cigarettes or joints — are simply not healthy options. Canada’s expected pot boom could go bust.
Here’s a look at what was making the news 25 and 50 years ago in the Hants Journal.
25 years ago
(Dec. 2 and 8, 1992 editions)
• A Falmouth homeowner felt the earth shake while watching television.
The Journal reported that while Dalhousie University operates a seismograph in the area, what the tremor was could not be determined as of press time. However, it was reported that small tremors had been felt in the area in 1983 and 1986. “Apparently there is a geologic fault which runs through the Bay of Fundy area,” the Journal reported.
• Dr. Arthur Hines School in Summerville had to be evacuated after a bomb scare during parent/teacher day.
• A man, who had consumed drugs and alcohol, held his former wife hostage in her Scotch Village home. She escaped, called police and a 10-hour stand off occurred before the situation was peacefully resolved.
• A rash of break-ins were reported, with three occurring in the Windsor West Hants Industrial Park.
• The third annual Windsor Santa Claus parade was held and had 26 entries. Winning the top prizes were Katrina Nelson ( Cutest Package), Paul Bowman (Best Decorated Bike or Wagon), Freeman Swinamer (Most Christmasy Float), and 76 Minas Sea Cadets/Navy League ( Best Walking Entry).
• The Christmas Daddies show netted $21,916 in pledges.
• Members of the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department were honoured at their 30th anniversary celebrations. They were Travis Crowell (Junior Firefighter of the Year and Chief of the Junior Department), Lieut. Sara Porter (Secretary Recognition Award), Ray Porter (Senior Firefighter of the Year), and Don Fillmore (who was recognized for serving 16 years as treasurer of the department).
• The Summerville and District Fire Department purchased a 1987 Ford 9000 pumper/tanker truck that could haul 3,000 gallons of water.
• The Hants Co-Op was flourishing in its new location on O’Brien Street.
• Minas Basin Pulp and Power Company Limited congratulated Richard Henshaw, of Hantsport, on retiring after 44 years of service. He was the groundwood mill foreman.
• CKF Incorporated congratulated Nellie Jessop, of Hantsport, for retiring after 29 years of service. She was a printer assistant.
• The Windsor Book Outlet was opening Dec. 1 in downtown Windsor in the Blanchard Building. Marina McCarthy and Kristi Hurshman, of Windsor, participated in the 1992 Santa Claus parade.
• The Valley Farmer’s Dairy women’s seven-a-side soccer team were repeat Nova Scotia champs in 1992. The team consisted of goalie Carol Burgess, Karen Lake, Marlene Lawrence, Amanda Burgess, Heather Lake, Suzanne Seary, Renda VanderToorn, Faye Banfield, Tish Ruttan, Karen Beaton, Deanna Kennedy, Andrea King, Aiselle Remis, Debbie Medina and Jennifer O’Brien. The coach was Calvin Banfield.
• Six talented local soccer players were selected to attend the High Performance Training Centre in Dartmouth. The players were Paul Rowsell, Jason Woodward and Mark Kershaw, from West Hants, and Nick Zamora, Nicholas Jansen and Brian Miller, from Hantsport. The boys were joining the best Under 13 and Under 15 soccer players in the province for high intensity training over the winter months.
• Jeff Lunn, of Centre Burlington, was the highlighted Windsor Royals hockey player for the week. He was serving as a goaltender for the team, and helped them win the provincial championship title in 1991-92.
50 years ago
(Dec. 6 and Dec. 13, 1967 editions)
• Burpee Caldwell, the buttermaker at McKenzie’s Creamery Ltd., in Windsor, won top honours in 1967 for his entry of exhibition butter into the Bluenose Buttermaker’s Competition. He also had a good showing in all five sections of the competition, placing second in the other classes to Murray Toole, the buttermaker at McKenzie’s other plant in Middleton.
• Gernot Zillig’s barn in Scotch Village was lost in a fire. The barn contained geese, cattle, calves, sows, a boar, rams, and a sheep, plus milking machines, hay, straw and grain.
• Walter B. Stephens was re-elected chief of the Windsor Fire Department.
• Michael Campbell, the publicity director for the Windsor Fire Department, received a Polaroid camera from the WFD Ladies Auxiliary to aid him in his public relations work.
• Just in time for the holidays, Stedmans Department Stores ran a fullpage ad showing off their sale items. They were selling a four-speed Fleetwood record player for $ 57.77; an eight- transistor portable radio for $ 16.95 and a three- speed portable mixer for $11.88.
• The Imperial Theatre was showing El Dorado, which was billed as ‘the big one with the big two’ due to the stars John Wayne and Robert Mitchum being involved. The local theatre was also set to show a 50 cent matinee of Santa Claus on Dec. 9. They had Hush... Hush Sweet Charlotte, starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland and Joseph Cotten lined up for Dec. 10 and three shows of Sinatra: The Naked Runner booked. Coming up in mid-December was the Murderer’s Row, starring Dean Martin and Ann-Margret, The Man Called Flintstone, which was The Flintstones’ first full-length musical spy adventure, and A Rage to Live, starring Suzanne Pleshette and Bradford Dillman.
• In the Hants History column dating back to 1942, it was noted that Henry Millett’s ice house was just about empty. He was hoping for cold weather so he could continue supplying locals.
In 1917, news of the Halifax Explosion was front and centre in the Jour
. nal, noting there were about 28 Hants County people among the dead and G injured.
It was noted that Wilcox Brothers had continuously advertised in the Journal since April 16, 1877. To view more photos from 25 and 50 years ago, be sure to visit