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OTTAWA — The federal government is spending $36.4 million over the next five years on a campaign to educate Canadians about the health and safety perils of marijuana.

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor and Toronto MP Bill Blair, the government’s point man on legalizing pot, made the announcement today after question period.

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Last week’s economic update earmarked $526 million over five years for Health Canada, the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency and Public Safety Canada to handle issues related to the government’s plans for legalization.

Petitpas Taylor says the money is in addition to a five-year, $9.6-million allotment set aside in the last federal budget for a public education campaign.

She says once the legislation legalizing pot is passed in Parliament, the campaign will be expanded to help Canadians better understand how the new laws work.

The federal Liberals say they’re committed to legalizing marijuana by July 2018, although the Opposition Conservatives, health care experts and a number of provinces have raised concerns about the ambitious timeline.