Pubdate: Thu, 02 Jun 2016
Source: Liberal, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016, Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing
Contact:  http://www.yorkregion.com/richmondhill-on/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2347
Author: Bernie O'Neill

NEW POT LAWS NEED EXPEDITING

When I was growing up, my parents employed some crazy family 
management practices, like put it out to the whole clan, "We're 
having takeout, what would you like to have for dinner?"

This was the type of thing you did when you didn't have the internet 
or 500 TV channels. You let your kids entertain you.

In the case of impromptu takeout nights, there was a catch. We were 
buying dinner from one place. We just needed a consensus on what that 
place would be.

The O.J. Simpson jury probably did less wrangling.

Again, takeout is being legalized for this evening and this evening 
only as far as this week goes. Just come together on what form that 
takeout will take and let us know. Or at least show us you have a 
majority vote.

Eventually, through some debaters making a strong case ("We had 
burgers last time!" "You always want subs!") we'd end up with an 
X-large pizza or bucket of chicken and of the five kids in the family 
(yes, five kids... those were the days) two were happy, one was 
indifferent, one sulked as he chewed on a crust (or chicken bone) and 
one went up to her room and did not eat.

She'd slam her bedroom door.

Meanwhile my dad smiled, as if he enjoyed nothing more than his 
evening of UN-style family government.

What all this accomplished I am not sure. Entertainment, maybe. Or it 
preserved the illusion a family is a democracy, when, in fact, the 
parents have the majority vote.

I wondered why one of them didn't just come walking through the door 
with a couple of big pizzas. "If you don't like it, have a bowl of cereal."

I think of these times in the wake of the fiasco related to the pot 
dispensaries in Toronto that were busted this past week, the same way 
a couple of identical pot dispensaries in York Region were busted months ago.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom