TORONTO - Businesses that illegally sell recreational marijuana after the government of Ontario sets up its own shops could be fined up to $1 million under legislation tabled Wednesday. One of the main aspects of the proposed law, which would take effect once the federal government makes the drug legal in July 2018, is to crack down on the array of illegal dispensaries, Attorney General Yasir Naqvi said. "We are going to work very hard towards that," he said. "We have put very strict penalties in that regards. . . . We feel very comfortable that the regime that we will put in place will be a significant deterrent for these illegal businesses." [continues 311 words]
TORONTO - Ontario is committing to fund three supervised injection sites in Toronto, as the city tries to combat rising numbers of overdose deaths amid a broader opioid crisis. Toronto city council approved the supervised injection sites at existing downtown healthcare facilities during the summer, and six months later the province has confirmed its support for the plan, with an estimated annual cost of $1.6 million and about $400,000 to create the spaces. Health Minister Eric Hoskins spoke to Mayor John Tory ahead of a meeting Monday with politicians, public health officials and others discussing how the city can tackle the growing and fentanyl-fuelled opioid problem. [continues 291 words]
Ontario is committing to fund three supervised injection sites in Toronto, as the city tries to combat rising numbers of overdose deaths amid a broader opioid crisis. Toronto city council approved the supervised injection sites at existing downtown health-care facilities during the summer, and six months later the province has confirmed its support for the plan, with an estimated annual cost of $1.6 million and about $400,000 to create the spaces. Health Minister Eric Hoskins spoke to Mayor John Tory ahead of a meeting Monday with politicians, public health officials and other stakeholders discussing how the city can tackle the growing and fentanyl-fuelled opioid problem. [continues 263 words]
Toronto - Ontario's Liberal government defended allowing medical marijuana users to vaporize anywhere by saying they had consulted "very broadly" - but emails show those consultations involved the input of just two people. Ultimately, the associate health minister had to defend the policy for just one day after the government backtracked on the policy within 24 hours. The emails, obtained through freedom-of-information legislation, show the premier's top staff members were both unaware of the new rule and confused by it. [continues 271 words]
E-cigarette and medical marijuana users in Ontario will soon be banned from smoking or vapourizing anywhere regular cigarettes are prohibited, unless the Liberal government changes its mind - again. Premier Kathleen Wynne thinks the new rules are common sense. "We have made a determination that smoking, whatever it is - whether it's vaping, whether it's medical marijuana, whether it's cigarettes - - that there should be restrictions on that," she said Thursday. "And so the rules will apply to marijuana, to medical marijuana, to vaping as they do to cigarettes." [continues 296 words]
TORONTO - Medical marijuana users in Ontario are now legally able to use vaporizers just about anywhere in the province. The Liberal government quietly exempted them this week from a law that bans the use of e-cigarettes anywhere regular cigarettes are prohibited. It means medical marijuana users can vaporize in restaurants, at work or on playgrounds. Associate Health Minister Dipika Damerla said under the exemption for medical marijuana users, employers or restaurant owners could still ban them from smoking on the premises. [continues 221 words]
TORONTO - Medical marijuana users in Ontario are now legally able to use vaporizers just about anywhere in the province. The Liberal government quietly exempted them this week from a law that bans the use of e-cigarettes anywhere regular cigarettes are prohibited. It means medical marijuana users can vaporize in restaurants, at work or on playgrounds. Associate Health Minister Dipika Damerla said under the exemption for medical marijuana users, employers or restaurant owners could still ban them from smoking on the premises. [continues 232 words]
With the curtain about to rise on the climactic second act of the Mike Duffy trial, Justin Trudeau promised Tuesday to clean up the scandal-tainted Senate, while Stephen Harper set his sights on neighbourhood drug labs. The Liberal leader vowed to clean up the prime minister 's "mess," accusing Harper of leading the "most secretive, divisive and hyper-partisan government in Canada's history." That mess, of course, is the Senate, and in particular Duffy's trial, which was scheduled to enter its most explosive phase Wednesday with none other than Nigel Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, as the first witness. [continues 578 words]
With the curtain about to rise on the climactic second act of the Mike Duffy trial, Justin Trudeau promised Tuesday to clean up the scandal-tainted Senate, while Stephen Harper set sight on neighbourhood drug labs. The Liberal leader vowed to clean up the prime minister's "mess," accusing Harper of leading the "most secretive, divisive and hyper-partisan government in Canada's history." That mess, of course, is the Senate, and in particular Duffy's trial, which was scheduled to enter its most explosive phase Wednesday with none other than Nigel Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, as the first witness. [continues 543 words]
Harper Talks Up Tough-On-Drugs Policy With the curtain about to rise on the climactic second act of the Mike Duffy trial, Justin Trudeau promised Tuesday to clean up the scandal-tainted Senate, while Stephen Harper set his sights on neighbourhood drug labs. The Liberal leader vowed to clean up the prime minister's "mess," accusing Harper of leading the "most secretive, divisive and hyperpartisan government in Canada's history." That mess, of course, is the Senate, and in particular Duffy's trial, which was scheduled to enter its most explosive phase today with none other than Nigel Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, as the first witness. Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, is the man who provided Duffy with $90,000 of his own money to repay his disallowed housing and travel expenses. The former Conservative senator has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges including fraud, bribery and breach of trust. [continues 490 words]
With the curtain about to rise on the climactic second act of the Mike Duffy trial, Justin Trudeau promised Tuesday to clean up the scandal-tainted Senate, while Stephen Harper set his sights on neighbourhood drug labs. The Liberal leader vowed to clean up the prime minister's "mess," accusing Harper of leading the "most secretive, divisive and hyper-partisan government in Canada's history." That mess, of course, is the Senate, and in particular Duffy's trial, which was scheduled to enter its most explosive phase Wednesday with none other than Nigel Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, as the first witness. [continues 577 words]
But new venture shouldn't be construed as support for broader cannabis use, he says Ernie Eves has gone from politics to pot. While other politicians tend to join law firms, become consultants or work on various other staid pursuits, the former Progressive Conservative premier of Ontario has chosen to branch out. He has joined Timeless Herbal Care - a Jamaican medical marijuana company with ties in Canada and Israel - as its chairman. But Eves says his medical marijuana work shouldn't be construed as support for broader use and he insists he hasn't sampled the merchandise. "No, my standard response to that was only for (Toronto Argonauts football) games, but that was about 40 years ago when the Argos were brutal," the 68-year-old says, laughing in a telephone interview. [continues 255 words]
Says He Had Problem Before Taking Office TORONTO - The stress of running Canada's largest city is not what drove Rob Ford to abuse substances, he said Wednesday, admitting he was drinking and using drugs before he was elected as Toronto's mayor. Ford returned to city hall this week after two months in rehab, pleading for a second chance. He would not answer questions after an emotional statement Monday, but was sitting down Wednesday with a handful of television networks for one-on-one interviews. [continues 700 words]
Justice minister failed to take into account men's heritage TORONTO * Ontario's top court ruled Friday that two men should not be extradited to the United States to face drug charges because of their aboriginal status. "It would be contrary to the principles of fundamental justice" to send the men to the United States, where their heritage would not be factored in to sentencing, the way it is in Canada, the appeal court ruled. Factors under what is known as the Gladue principle are considered in Canadian law to try to offset systemic discrimination against aboriginal people. [continues 345 words]
A police force in eastern Ontario risks "tarring and feathering" innocent people by placing signs outside homes where they have executed drug search warrants, a civil liberties advocate said Thursday. Cornwall police erected the new strategy's first sign -- emblazoned with the words "Drug Search Warrant" -- Wednesday in front of a home where three people were arrested and charged with drug possession. It's a "dangerous situation" that brands people as drug dealers before they've even appeared in court, Graeme Norton of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association said. [continues 155 words]
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration's new antidrug advertising campaign seeks to strike a chord with young people by linking drug use to supporting terrorism. But it has struck a nerve with critics who contend the message is inappropriate and goes too far. The criticism, from both traditional foes of White House drug policy and individuals who typically support antidrug messages, has produced parodies, editorials, debate and even research, although the advertisements have been out for only two months. Proponents call the advertisements powerful and factual. Critics say that the link between drug use and terrorism is overreaching wartime propaganda. [continues 847 words]
