Executives around the sector expressed concern about the new government’s mandate letters to cabinet ministers, which prime minister Justin Trudeau sent out this week following his Liberal party’s re-election victory in October.
- One letter called for the minister of public security to pursue “strict regulation of cannabis,” while in another the minister of health was advised to maintain cannabis regulations based on “public safety, responsible usage, and keeping cannabis away from children.” Insiders surmised this suggests the government will not loosen Health Canada regulations (around packaging, edibles, and many other things) any time soon, despite industry pleading.
Twitter—Matt Lamers
Organigram VP Public Affairs & Stakeholder Relations Cameron Bishop lamented the mandates’ lack of mention of MED exports, tax reform, or facilitating craft entry into the sector.
- Bishop said the “mandate letters […] wrongly assume they got everything right the first time out, have nothing to learn from real world experience.”
- Bishop’s whole thread is worth a read.
Twitter—Cameron Bishop
Quick Hits
- Adolfo Gonzalez, cannabis trainer, argued LPs should respect breeders’ work and use original cultivar names—which become associated with more verifiable information about the plant.
The Straight