Pubdate: Tue, 22 Sep 2015
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Spencer.Anderson
Page: 5

POT A HOT TOPIC AT ANNUAL UBCM CONVENTION

Marijuana will be among the hot topics at this year's Union of B.C.
Municipalities convention in Vancouver.

Local government officials from across the province are descending on
the city to talk shop, attend workshops and debate resolutions
intended to pressure the provincial government to make changes to
legislation.

Seven of nine Nanaimo council members are slated to attend the annual
conference, which kicked off on Monday.

It will cost an estimated $9,800 to send delegates to the four-day
conference, but the event is touted is an opportunity to network with
both provincial and federal counterparts, as well as local peers.

Councillors Ian Thorpe and Gord Fuller are the only Nanaimo
councillors not attending.

Green Party leader Elizabeth May is the only federal leader scheduled
to break from campaigning to address delegates.

Premier Christy Clark is also scheduled to close out the conference
and B.C. Opposition leader John Horgan is also slated to speak.

Issues like the legalization of marijuana will take a prominent place
at this year's conference.

Two resolutions are set for consideration on the topic; the first
calls on the UBCM to "endorse the position that local governments have
the authority to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries."

It comes amid a public spat between the City of Vancouver, which has
begun issuing licences to marijuana dispensaries, and the federal
government, which has criticized the move.

Delegates to the conference are also slated to hear from Tonia
Winchester, a proponent of the successful ballot initiative to
legalize marijuana in the state of Washington.

Other resolutions call on the province to eliminate the position of
auditor general for local government, change legislation to allow
municipalities to directly collect penalties and fees and enable local
elections to include electronic voting.

A resolution put forward by North Vancouver would have the provincial
government ban corporate and union campaign contributions.
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MAP posted-by: Matt