Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jan 2016
Source: Guardian, The (CN PI)
Copyright: 2016 The Guardian, Charlottetown Guardian Group Incorporated
Contact:  http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/174
Author: Steve Sharratt
Page: A4

CARDIGAN MP COMFORTABLE WITH MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION PLANS

He's never even touched the stuff, but Cardigan MP Lawrence MacAulay 
can appreciate the irony of a new nickname.

It might only be a footnote in history, but even Canada's agriculture 
minister has to chuckle at the prospect of being dubbed the minister 
of marijuana.

Especially, since he's now at the helm of the federal agricultural 
department that will one day oversee pot plantations and licensed 
grow ops, as well as collect scads of new tax revenue.

"It didn't seem to be a big problem for Canadians and so it will be 
legalized," he said in an interview. "The process of legalization is 
still being worked out and until that happens it's tough for me to 
provide details."

Marijuana has been banned in Canada since 1923 when it was swept up 
in the drug panic of the 1920s and included with the banning of opium 
and cocaine.

MacAulay is no stranger to agriculture. Before he entered politics 
nearly 40 years ago, he was a potato farmer in Midgell, P.E.I.

"I've never used it, but I suppose it will be eventually sold as we 
do alcohol," he said. "I'm not involved in any way yet, but being an 
agricultural product, I suspect that one day we will see greenhouse 
operations and distribution methods all approved by government."

In 1973, the federal Le Dain commission recommended the 
decriminalization and even the legalization of marijuana in Canada. 
Forty-three years later, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau announced 
intentions to legalize the drug as a 2015 Liberal election platform.

"Am I comfortable with that decision?" offered MacAulay from his 
Cardigan riding office. "Yes."

He's so committed that he has submitted his plan to the city for a 
design review.

He is also so determined to share his vision with residents that he 
has requested his own public meeting, where there won't be any issues 
on the floor but this one.

"I want the neighbourhood to see the plans because it will directly 
affect them. This is too important a piece of property in the downtown."

O'Halloran said he doesn't have a date in terms of demolishing the 
eight homes that need to come down first but said they are all 
falling down on themselves.

He regularly patrols the area to make sure no one has sought shelter 
inside the vacant buildings because they aren't safe.

However, the fact the process is going to a public meeting and that 
there is no fixed date for demolition in no way means the project is on hold.

"We're a long ways from getting in the mud," he said, referring to 
the new apartment building.

"There are a lot of hoops to go through . . . . I want to make sure 
we stay the course and everything is done right."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom