Civic officials had a broad-scoping meeting on the legalization of recreational pot while in Ottawa last week.
Delta police Chief Neil Dubord, along with Mayor Lois Jackson, acting city manager Ken Kuntz and Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Bryce Williams, were in the nation’s capital to discuss a variety of issues with federal officials.
One of the key meetings was with Bill Blair, parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice and attorney general, the same day the Senate passed an historic bill (Bill C-45) to legalize recreational marijuana.
Dubord said their discussion centered around four items: home cultivation, edibles, agricultural land and impaired driving.
“Originally when medical marijuana legislation was put in place, there was restrictive access for medical marijuana. There was a decision by the federal government – and the courts saw it the same way - that people should be allowed to cultivate in their own home,” said Dubord. “It was our belief that once it is legalized for both recreational and medical use there would be no access problems and you could eliminate the need for home cultivation.”
Dubord said both the B.C. Fire Chiefs Association and the B.C. Police Chiefs Association wrote letters of concern to government, stating they didn’t believe there was a need for home cultivation once marijuana is legalized.
“We brought that forward to Blair, and he told us that there would be something in Bill C-45 that would allow the provinces to regulate or to allow or not allow home cultivation,” added Dubord. “Both Manitoba and Quebec have put in provincial legislation that does not allow home cultivation. We want to see that same legislation put in place in B.C., but we don’t know where the province will go with that.”
Dubord said they asked Blair about the possibility that government would also hold off the legalization of edible marijuana, but were told Ottawa was committed to rolling that legislation out at the same time.
He did say, however, they received some positive feedback regarding impaired driving, a key concern of Delta police and policing agencies throughout the country.
“Government said they are close to being able to find an instrument that would be acceptable and pass all the tests that would allow us to have a roadside tester similar to what we would use to detect alcohol,” said Dubord.
He said the equipment probably wouldn’t be available for at least a year, however.
“One of our concerns is we had heard this potential instrument was expensive – about $7,000 per instrument -- so a department the size of Delta’s would require about 35 of them, so it’s an expensive proposition, but government said they are committed to possibly look at some funding for us.”
Overall, Dubord said he was happy with what they achieved.
“Home cultivation was key. At least we now know that it will be up to the provinces and we have the best information in regards to impaired driving, so based on those two issues, I would consider the meeting a success.”
