WE’RE GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD WITH OUR WORKING GROUP

Melanson said the Supreme Court decision will likely have an impact, but because no one knows when that decision will be released, it’s important the working group forges ahead now.

He said the group is looking at a variety of issues ranging Brad Duguid from limits imposed by individual provinces, to distribution systems that could be restricting markets for craft brewers.

If the justices rule in favour of Comeau’s fight against provincial liquor monopolies, some trade experts have said the decision could trigger lawsuits across the country seeking to dismantle similar governmentrun corporations for cannabis.

Provinces are currently developing rules and regulations for the sale of recreational cannabis, which the federal government has said will become legal by July 2018.

The ministers said they had some discussion about cannabis and provincial boundaries on Friday, but need to see the full federal legislation before some decisions can be made.

Duguid said it’s important to make the right decisions from the start.

“A lot of our discussions have been on the alcohol file, which has been a file that has bedevilled governments for generations. We have an opportunity here to ensure we don’t make the same mistakes that our forefathers may have made on the alcohol file,” he said.

Other issues discussed by the ministers include online sales and improving regulatory measures. It was their first meeting since the new Canadian Free Trade Agreement came into effect in July.

The ministers said they also discussed high food prices in northern Canada and other remote locations.

Duguid said it’s also an issue in Ontario’s north.

“Northern Ontario in the far north has similar food challenges where it’s cheaper to buy a bottle of Coke and a bag of potato chips than a fresh, healthy meal. Hence you end up with fairly high diabetes rates and other health issues in some of those areas,” he said.

The Free Trade Agreement offers some protections for supply management, but the ministers say the challenges faced by northern communities need to be taken into account.