Quebec's government-run pot stores have a name: the Socit Qubcoise du Cannabis - Action News
Home WebMail Friday, November 22, 2024, 09:12 PM | Calgary | -11.3°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Montreal

Quebec's government-run pot stores have a name: the Socit Qubcoise du Cannabis

The Quebec government is set to table legislation Thursday that will provide a framework for legalized marijuana, but details are already emerging, including the name of the organization that will handle its sale.

Province poised to table legislation Thursday aimed at ensuring 'public health and security'

The Quebec government intends to set up 20 stores across the province, as well as a delivery service through Canada Post. (David Ryder/Getty Images)

The Quebec government is set to table legislation Thursday that will provide a framework for legalized marijuana, but details are already emerging, including the name of the organization that will handle its sale:theSocitQubcoise du Cannabis.

Public Health Minister Lucie Charleboisacknowledged Wednesday that the bill won't be perfect, but that it aims to address "public health and security" of the population ahead of the federallegalization of cannabis next year.

Provincial legislation, she suggested, could "evolve" over time.

"We have to be flexible enough to adapt as we go along because we are not naive, we know that the black market will certainly react also to what we are doing," added Finance Minister Carlos Leitao.

The federal government has set July 1, 2018, as the target date for legalization. Quebec is still hoping Ottawa pushes back that target, even as they move to introduce their own rules.

Among the provinces, only Ontario and New Brunswick have tabled legislation. Alberta is expected to do so shortly.

Who will reap the rewards?

On Wednesday,Leitaoquestioned the federal government'splan to split tax revenues between Ottawa and the provinces and territories.

"We view that the taxation revenues should come almost entirely to the provinces because once the bill is in place or the bills are in place, the federal and the provincial, the costs are going to be incurred by the provinces, not by the federal government," he said.

"So why should the federal government have any additional revenues when they don't have when they have very few additional costs?"

Liberal MP Bill Blair, former Toronto police chief and the government's point man on legalizing marijuana, made public the federal tax proposal for legal pot last week. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Under the plan, Ottawawould add an excise tax of $1 per gram ofmarijuanaor 10 per cent of the final retail price, whichever is higher.

The final price, including provincial and federal sales taxes, would vary by jurisdictionsince the combined total is in some provinces is higher than in others.

Mail carriers ready to deliver

In Quebec's case, the sale and distribution of marijuana will be overseen by the SAQ, the province'spublicly owned liquor agency.

Initially, at least, the province only intends to set up 20stores across Quebec to sell marijuana on site, Radio-Canada reported Tuesday. The agency will also offer online sales, delivered by Canada Post.

MikePalecek, head of theCanadian Union of Postal Workers, said mail carriers are ready for the extra work load.

"We already deliver most of the medicinal marijuana in this country and there are certain protocols and protections in place around that, so it's normal that the provincewould look for an option such as Canada Post to make sure everything is secure," Palecek said in an interview.

Canada Post workers already deliver alcohol ordered online through the SAQ. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

Canada Post already delivers alcohol ordered online through theSAQ, and it has been handling the delivery of medical marijuana since 2013, a spokesperson for the Crown corporation said.

"Any decisions regarding delivery or availability of legalised marijuana are up to the various government bodies building the consumer framework," SylvieLapointe said in a statement.