Quebec to table marijuana bill in fall, following province-wide public hearings

Quebec announced Monday it will table cannabis legislation in the fall,after holding extensive public consultations.

Public Health MinisterLucieCharleboissaid the province willmeet with national and international experts before carrying outpublic hearings across the province.

There will also be a consultation with Indigenous groups,in whichQuebec Native Affairs Minister Geoffrey Kelley willtake part.

Recreational cannabis is expected to be legalizedacross Canada as of July 1, 2018.

When the announcement was made in April, Charlebois said the federal government failed to provide detailedguidelines for its sale.

• What will marijuana legalization look like in Quebec?

"We have to prepare ourselves to better face the issues that we consider to be priorities, notably those concerning health and security for all,"Charleboissaid in Monday'sstatement.

As far as how cannabis will be taxed in Quebec,Charlebois said "everything is on the table."

Safety 1st

In a recent survey, Quebecers were shown to be less receptive to the proposedlegalization of cannabis than are people in the rest of Canada.

ACROP poll conducted on behalf of CBC's French-language network, Radio-Canada, showed the biggest fear people have about legalization is the possible increase in road accidents.

Charlebois said road safety is one of the issues to be addressed in the consultations, in the hope of finding practical solutions.

Other issuesinclude public security, as well as the distribution and sale of cannabis.

Consultations will begin at the end of August and rununtil mid-September. Quebecers can register to take part, starting June 21.

Quebecers who aren't able to attend in person will be able to have their say online.

Charlebois said these consultations are essential for the government to be able to make the "best decisions possible for all Quebecers."

• Quebec finds Ottawa's marijuana legislation plan short on details, funding