Pubdate: Wed, 18 Feb 2009
Source: Burlington Post (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Burlington Post
Contact:  http://www.burlingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1528
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

SAVOLINE CRITICAL OF 'ABBOTT AND COSTELLO' GOVERNMENT

Burlington Conservative MPP Joyce Savoline has accused the Ontario
government of being two-faced in its dealings with a Burlington
restaurant owner.

During Question Period in the legislature at Queen's Park yesterday
(Tuesday), Savoline asked the Liberal government what it is going to
do to solve a conundrum facing Ted Kindos, owner of Gator Ted's.

Kindos has been given contradictory instructions from two divisions of
the Ontario government, said Savoline. She said the Ontario Human
Rights Commission has demanded that Kindos allow Steve Gibson, a
former patron, to smoke his medical marijuana on the premises. She
said failure to permit him to smoke could result in penalties from the
OHRC. At the same time, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario
has stated it will revoke the liquor licence for Gator Ted's if Kindos
allows Gibson to smoke the medical pot on the business' property.

"This reeks of an Abbott and Costello sideshow - Who's On First? What
division of the Ontario government has authority here, or is it I
Don't Know on third base? This is a prime example of (Premier)
McGuinty's regime creating silos and not working co-operatively for
the benefit of the people of Ontario," Savoline said.

"In committee, the members of the McGuinty government did not believe
that there was sufficient science available to include medicinal
marijuana in the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and as a result killed it.
These same members were obviously not aware that the Alcohol and
Gaming Commission feels very differently about the subject.

"The government members could not even look me in the eye when they
killed my amendment to include marijuana in the Smoke-Free Ontario
Act. I put that amendment forward in anticipation of situations just
like this," said Savoline.

Ted McMeekin, the Ancaster- Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale MP and
Minister of Government and Consumer Services, told Savoline in the
legislature that his government is looking at resolving such situations.

".... He's caught between, sadly, a regulatory rock and a hard place.
This government is determined to make sure that we find a way to
support ... small business people like Ted Kindos....," McMeekin said,
according to the Hansard of Tuesday's public statements made at
Queen's Park, supplied by Savoline's office.

"....The Liquor Licence Act is clear with respect to controlled
substances. That, obviously, is in conflict. We've been in touch with
Health Canada, who has been offering us some advice.... We'll get to
the bottom of this and we'll do it in a way that protects small
business people in the province of Ontario," McMeekin said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin