Union of BC Municipalities …..

So which municipalities have taken up the cause of level crossing wait times along the CN line to Prince Rupert?

Is that issue even on the table?

It would be nice to have a report her of what is on the table other than the marijuana issue. While they are at it, start talking about when it will be more than just medicinal marijuana.

I suspect the market to the USA for BC Bud may dry up considerably once Washington and other states have access to legalized “recreational” use of marijuana. Maybe prices at home will drop and residential grow ops will be much less of a problem.

They need a resolution to make sure the growers are following the rules? They weren’t being checked on before to make sure they were following the rules?

Sounds like a joke of incompetence .

“The issue of medicinal marijuana grow ops will be, once again, an issue put front and centre at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.”

The way I read it the there are two references, MM and UBCM.

I am dealing with both. I am wondering what other topics UBCM will be dealing with so that I can see whether UBCM keeps being obsessed with MM or whether it has the capacity to deal with other emerging issues.

The obsession with MM topic is starting to get very old hat, especially with the state south of the border advancing very quickly to put systems in place to control the growing and the distribution of recreational M as voted on by the citizens.

Legalize the dam stuff and start growing it in shut down sawmills!!

Search engines, search engine, what can you find???

Ah …. here it is:
http://washingtonstatewire.com/blog/states-first-big-marijuana-grow-operation-is-announced-at-a-public-port

“Seattle restaurateur Marcus Charles will take over a part of vacant sawmill complex at the Port of Willapa Harbor in Raymond, Wash., a coastal community hard-hit by decades of downturn in the lumber industry.

“Port officials say Washington’s new cannabis industry is a good fit. They have the buildings. Charles has the capital.

“… isn’t that the way economic development is supposed to work?”

Of course the interesting thing is that the location of that proposed licensed M growing facility is close to the community of Tokeland, WA ….. LOL

Gus … I agree with the gist of your arguments on this issue … ;)

This obsession of some UBCM members is almost enough to make one think that perhaps the ongoing advocates of the motion have their hands in the grow-op business and are hoping that the feds limit the medical grow-ops for fear of competition.

I would also suggest the News250 has flagged this motion as newsworthy knowing full well that it will rattle the chains of the posters on this site. Far more interesting than rail way crossings (unless you live in Miworth and cannot get home to your grow-op because the tracks are blocked again)

This all seems somewhat moot, since Health Canada has officially moved to commercialize the medical marijuana supply in Canada. It’s being phased in now, and will be law April 1, 2014.

So, my advice to municipalities would be, don’t waste your time, unless you want to try and change some of the new rules that have been adopted.

This is a federal issue. And more importantly, a US federal issue since Canada can’t realistically legalize weed until the US is on board.

States such as Washington have made this a state issue and have started to be more proactive about it. The states are forcing the federal hands.

The USA is quite different from Canada in this case. Bothe Washington and Colorado are moving ahead very quickly to have a system of licensing and inspection ready to go by January 2014. The Department of Justice is looking on and doing nothing.

They are looking at changing the federal law to include the notion that federal law, in the case of marijuana, not supersede state law. Marijuana thus would become a local issue.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/08/officials-tacit-approval-for-marijuana-legalization.php

“Canada can’t realistically legalize weed until the US is on board”

Canada can’t realistically keep weed illegal if the US allows states to legalize weed.

Sort of like prohibition in the USA and Canada supplying the states with booze.

Who will be the new Bronfman??

This is a provincial issue… even Health Canada classifies this as a health issue… last I looked but the constitution clearly says health is a provincial jurisdiction. The federal government only has jurisdiction over pot so long as it is a federal criminal offense. If they support federally mandated medicinal grow ops then they are relinquishing federal sovereignty over the issue to the provincial governments under sovereign provincial health regulations. To date the provinces haven’t stepped up to assert their sovereign rights as the states have down south.

Sine Nomine makes the most important point of relevance to this discussion in that what in the heck is the Union of BC Municipalities doing making this a priority issue in light of the changes to federal regulation governing medicinal grow ops.

Gus is right when he says why are they discussing a soon to be non issue, when they could be talking about far more important issues such as an industry regulated railway going through the heart of their cities… or a bigger share of provincial and federal revenues.

Personally I’d like to see the municipalities gain 1/3 of all income taxes collected by the federal and provincial governments and then eliminate property taxes for primary homes of non absentee residents… rentals, holiday homes, foreign owned, and commercial/ industrial still pay.

Gus the next Bronfman won’t come from Canada. If it does it will be a pharmaceutical company that will game the market through the federal regulation process. More likely the small operators in Washington State and Colorado will be the home to the legal grow industry and that is where the next Bronfman will arise.

Municipalities are essentially asking for federally funded police powers, with strings attached of course. Probably a Harper insider somewhere feeding this process.