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Hold off on selling Cannabis NB, say Grits, Greens
After some early challenges, Crown corporation now making profits
CBC News· Posted: Mar 04, 2021 2:41 PM AT
In 2019, the province asked for offers to buy the Crown corporation tasked with selling cannabis in the province. (Elizabeth Fraser/CBC file photo)
Two out of three opposition parties with seats in the New Brunswick legislature say they want the province to hold off on selling Cannabis NB.
In 2019 the province asked for offers to buy the Crown corporation tasked with selling cannabis in the province.
This came after the corporation sustained losses over multiple quarters.
But Cannabis NB has rebounded in the past year, earning $8.3 million in net profit so far this fiscal year.
In this week's political panel, Liberal MLA Rob McKee said the increased revenue isn't the only reason the province should hold off on selling the Crown corporation.
"There are shut down costs that will happen with the winding down of Cannabis NB," said McKee.
"We believe that it should continue with government running the sale and distribution of cannabis."
Green MLA Kevin Arseneau said the Crown corporation should not be sold. (Radio-Canada)
Green MLA Kevin Arseneau agreed with McKee that the Crown corporation should not be sold.
"I think there's also public health reasons with the reinvesting some of the profits into public health measures and campaigns," said Arseneau.
"There's also the fact that these are unionized jobs. So good paying jobs in different communities is always a great thing."
Not all the opposition parties are in agreement though.
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin says the province should never have been in the cannabis business in the first place.
"[It] boggles my mind that government has any business in retail, especially when you talk about marijuana and alcohol," said Austin.
"I think government has a role to play in regulating it, ensuring that there's fair taxation on the sold product. But as far as retailing it, I mean, it's just absurd that government has gotten to this point where it's involved in any type of retail of any sort"
People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin says the province should never have been in the cannabis business in the first place. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
While Austin agrees with the Progressive Conservative's push to get the government out of the weed business, he doesn't agree with going from a public monopoly to a private one.
"I don't see that having any effect on the black market," said Austin.
"I just think it should be open to people that want to start a business and go with it as long as, again, its properly regulated fair taxation"
Liberal MLA Rob McKee said he believes the government’s move to sell Cannabis NB is ideological. (CBC)
McKee said he believes the government's move to sell Cannabis NB is ideological, given the corporation was started under a Liberal government and Premier Blaine Higgs had criticized the idea before he came into office
"His stubbornness probably means that they will continue down the road of selling off the rights to selling cannabis," said McKee.
No one from government was made available for the political panel because negotiations are underway, a spokesperson said.
Premier urged to press pause on Cannabis NB decision in 11th-hour letter
Assembly of First Nations chief, businesses say premier hasn't consulted with stakeholders, residents
· CBC News· Posted: Mar 04, 2021 6:27 PM AT
Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Roger Augustine and 10 New Brunswick-based cannabis businesses have sent a letter urging Premier Blaine Higgs to pause a decision on privatizing Cannabis NB. (Radio-Canada file photo)
Premier Blaine Higgs is being urged to stand down on making a decision on Cannabis NB until he has consulted with businesses, residents, Indigenous groups and others.
A six-page letter, signed by Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Roger Augustine and nine New Brunswick-based cannabis businesses and dated March 4, presses Higgs and Finance Minister Ernie Steeves to "pause any further decision or negotiation regarding Cannabis NB."
"As investors in this province, its people and its potential, we believe we deserve to be consulted fully on the future of Cannabis NB," the letter states. "To date that has not taken place."
The letter comes as negotiations are already underway, according to a Higgs government spokesperson.
Higgs had earlier said a final decision on whether to privatize the Crown agency would be made by the end of 2020. In late December, a Finance Department spokesperson said the process "would continue into the new year."
On Thursday, the groups laid out a list of reasons the decision should be paused.
In addition to fears that privatization would lead to a loss of New Brunswick jobs, it argued the agency's fortunes have drastically changed since the possibility of privatization was raised in November 2019.
"At the time, it was easy to understand why the province might consider a sale of this agency given the financial losses it was incurring at the time," the letter said.
"However, those losses have been turned around and [earlier] issues … that allowed the regulated market to compete with the illicit market have been addressed."
The agency has since posted four consecutive profitable quarters and expects to exceed $10 million in profit for the year, Cannabis NB and Alcool NB Liquor spokesperson Thomas Tremblay said in February.
"This is momentum we feel will be imperilled by a move to a single private retailer," the letter to Higgs said, arguing it would "favour its own financial well-being" over the province's bottom line.
No other province has given up control, group says
In addition to Augustine, the letter is signed by the presidents of New Brunswick-based cannabis companies Zenabis Global, Organigram Holdings Inc., Stewart Farms, Lady Jane Cannabis Ltd., Golden Peak Cannabis Inc., Eco Canadian Organic Inc., New Brunswick Cannabis Co-ordinator, Flemming & Singh Cannabis and the director of the New Brunswick Craft Cannabis Association.
The letter notes no other provincial government in Canada has given up control of retail operations of the cannabis industry, arguing that doing so would jeopardize their ability to harness the sector's "global potential."
"British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec all have maintained full or partial control over their recreational cannabis industries and are seeing success ... in terms of financial returns to the province," the letter states.
The group also said that selling Cannabis NB to a private monopoly would be a "missed opportunity" for reconciliation and economic growth, noting it will make it very difficult to fully include Indigenous entrepreneurs in the regulated retail cannabis space.
CBC News has sought comment from the Higgs government.
About the Author
---------- Original message ----------
From: "Higgs, Premier Blaine (PO/CPM)"<Blaine.Higgs@gnb.ca>
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2021 01:29:52 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Too Too Funny a LIEbrano lawyer tells a
simple truth as a Chief and the Green Meanies are on the warpath and a
preacher/politician is dumbfounded while his pal Higgy says nothing at all
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
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---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2021 21:29:48 -0400
Subject: Too Too Funny a LIEbrano lawyer tells a simple truth as a Chief and the Green Meanies are on the warpath and a preacher/politician is dumbfounded while his pal Higgy says nothing at all
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Friday, 5 March 2021
Hold off on selling Cannabis NB, say Grits, Greens
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David Raymond Amos
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Replying to @DavidRaymondAm1 @Nyonitz and 49 others
Methinks its Too Too Funny a LIEbrano lawyer tells a simple truth as a
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#CORRUPTION
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Hold off on selling Cannabis NB, say Grits, Greens
After some early challenges, Crown corporation now making profits
CBC News · Posted: Mar 04, 2021 2:41 PM AT
On 3/4/21, David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
> https://www.cbc.ca/news/
>
> Mental health system should've been fixed after report 12 years ago,
> advocate says
>
> Mental health advocate Mike McKee made 80 recommendations to transform
> the system, but says it was never fixed
> CBC News · Posted: Mar 04, 2021 1:11 PM AT
>
> Lexi Daken was a Grade 12 student at Leo Hayes High School in
> Fredericton. (Submitted by Chris Daken)
>
> A retired judge who called for the "massive transformation" of New
> Brunswick's mental health system 12 years ago, says nothing has been
> done to fix it.
>
> In 2009, Mike McKee published his report, Together into the Future. He
> received input from more than 2,000 people, including service
> providers to people with mental illness and their families.
>
> The report included 80 recommendations to revamp the mental health
> system in New Brunswick.
> Chris Daken with daughter Lexi, when she was about 2 years old.
> (Submitted by Chris Daken)
>
> "It's obvious the system is broken and we need to address it," said McKee.
>
> "We have to decide, do we want to rebuild the house or do we just want
> to paint the living room?"
>
> McKee's report aimed to make mental health a government priority for
> everyone and that it would be treated like any other illness "rather
> than continuing to be a poor second cousin."
> 'People want us to do more'
>
> McKee, who's also a former cabinet minister in Frank McKenna's Liberal
> government, said he was disappointed to learn about the death of Lexi
> Daken last week.
>
> The Grade 10 student who had previously attempted suicide, was taken
> to the emergency room at Fredericton's Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital
> on Feb. 18, by a school guidance counsellor who was concerned about
> her mental health.
>
> In midst of grief, Lexi Daken's family sees a chance for change
>
> She waited for eight hours without receiving any mental health
> intervention.
>
> Lexi took her own life less than a week later.
> Lexi Daken, centre, with friends Darian Crouse, left, and Karly
> Crouse. (Submitted by Chris Daken)
>
> "I don't remember really the last time my heart was troubled like this
> over someone that I didn't even know," said the mental health
> advocate.
>
> "It's sad and it doesn't have to happen."
>
> In order to fix the broken system, McKee said the province needs to
> stop reacting to situations like Lexi's and instead work with people
> living with mental health issues, Indigenous communities, the homeless
> and those living in rural areas.
> Tragic death of a Fredericton teenager by suicide is raising alarm
> bells over lack of mental health treatment in this province
> 6 days ago
> 3:34
> Sixteen-year-old Lexi Daken was a popular and gifted student who
> struggled with depression and anxiety. She tried to get help at the
> Chalmers Hospital emergency room. Barely a week later, Lexi was dead.
> 3:34
>
> "People want us to do more than just tinker with the status quo."
>
> If the 80 recommendations in his report had been implemented, McKee
> said the province would have already addressed the mental health needs
> of New Brunswickers.
>
> But it didn't.
>
> McKee's report said children and youth should have access to
> in-province assessment, government departments should work
> collaboratively within a coordinated system and the province should
> also have a full range of effective services are available in
> community and correctional facilities.
>
> "I'm not happy with the outcome or reaction."
> Public inquiry won't happen
>
> On Wednesday, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard told reporters the
> province will not call for a public inquiry into Lexi's suicide but
> will ask the child and youth advocate to review mental health services
> in New Brunswick.
>
> McKee said he doesn't want to put his focus on whether their should be
> a public inquiry, but the report itself and how to prevent situations
> like this from happening again — such as more qualified psychologists
> inside New Brunswick schools.
> Health minister calls for 'review,' not public inquiry into
> Fredericton teen’s suicide
> 1 day ago News
> 1:35
>>
> Recommended
>
> 0:58
> Video footage of Atlantic Destiny in rough waters late Tuesday night
> 22 hours ago | CBC News Nova Scotia
>
> 3:37
> Turning 100 in the time of COVID-19
> 1 day ago | CBC News Newfoundland
>
> The New Brunswick government is not calling for a public inquiry into
> Lexi Daken’s suicide but will ask the child and youth advocate to
> review mental health services. 1:35
>
> "We have far too many people who don't have the support, who don't
> have the treatment to avoid those situations occurring in the first
> place."
>
> It's still not clear whether the public will ever know what happened
> during Lexi's eight-hour wait at the ER, or why she was allowed to
> leave without having received help.
>
> McKee said it's possible they'll never know.
>
> "People aren't going to put up with this," he said. "Enough is enough."
>
> With files from Information Morning Fredericton, Marie Sutherland
>
> CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
>