Cannabis cultivation expert says Sask.'s support of Quebec ban on homegrown pot plants 'concerning'
CBC
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Quebec's ban on homegrown cannabis plants is constitutional.
The Government of Saskatchewan was an intervener in the case, supporting Quebec's decision to ban home cultivation. That action has a cannabis growing expert in Saskatchewan concerned.
Mike Bartlett, owner of hydroponic garden supply store The Gras Shop in Saskatoon, said he does think the province was doing their due diligence by intervening in the court case.
"They do want to have as much control over the industries as they can within their borders and not leave it to the federal government. Part of that, I think, is posturing by the provincial government in power."
In a statement to CBC News, the Saskatchewan government said it intervened in order to defend the power of the provinces to regulate cannabis.
"The province has long taken the position that federal criminal law power can only be used to prohibit conduct, and should not be turned into a general regulatory power," the province said.
The Saskatchewan government told CBC it has no plans to make any changes regarding growing for personal use at this time.
Bartlett worries that statement is too open-ended.
"They're not closing the door. This is something that we are going to be watching. If they hadn't been involved in the case at all it would be a bit of a a moot point to for us. We wouldn't have really any concern,"' Bartlett said.
"But the way that they have left that really open-ended to allow them to be able to make those changes does concern us."
The Supreme Court ruling was in a case first brought before the courts in 2019 by Janick Murray-Hall, a Quebecer who had challenged the provincial ban successfully before Quebec's Superior Court.
The federal law allows people to grow or own up to four cannabis plants at home, but the Quebec government banned growing for personal use, with fines running between $250 and $750.
Murray-Hall's lawyer argued that Quebec's ban on owning and cultivating plants for personal use is unconstitutional and contradicts the federal cannabis law enacted in 2018.
The Supreme Court of Canada disagreed.
The province and district social services administration boards say plans are in place to ensure people on social assistance do not miss out on benefits as a result of the strike by Canada Post employees.
Near the exit to Truro, N.S., a cluster of colorful tents and a lone RV can be seen alongside Highway 102, some tucked under the overpass for shelter from the elements.
Police and Public Trust, a project of the CBC News Atlantic investigative unit, scrutinizes the largely off-limits police complaint and discipline systems across the region. Journalists are using access to information laws and, in some cases, court challenges to obtain discipline records and data.
Toronto police have arrested a GTA woman who they allege scammed dozens of Taylor Swift fans out of more than $70,000 by promising them tickets that never materialized.
Montreal was, in years past, considered a haven for renters. But those days are long gone.
WARNING: This story details violent events surrounding a fatal police shooting.
It took Gordon Frentz over 14 hours to drive through the snow from Grande Prairie, Alta., this past weekend to compete at this year's Canadian Western Agribition in Regina.
The coroner's inquest into the drug-related deaths of six men in custody at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre will revisit 2018 recommendations relating to eight other inmate deaths to determine what's been done to implement them, the inquest's lawyer said Monday on the first day of hearings.
Emily Walstrom was expecting to lay her father to rest this month, but instead, she says his cremated remains are stuck in a Canada Post facility in B.C., delayed by the ongoing national postal strike.
A Friday night fire hasn't caused any impact to operations at the Dryden mill, the company said.
With around 55,000 Canada Post workers on strike since Nov.15 and no deal in sight, Toronto businesses say they're gearing up for a tough holiday season.