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It may be no coincidence the marijuana announcement coincided with less appetizing headlines

It may be no coincidence that the marijuana announcement was timed to coincide with those less appetizing headlines. It allowed the premier to pose as a defender of law and order, and a protector of the young and vulnerable, rather than the head of a government steeped in scandal and struggling against abysmal popularity ratings. As the Liberals prepare for June’s election they’re eager to demonstrate they are capable of something besides record deficits, unpopular energy policies and a cozy relationship with high-cost unions. They’ve already placated consumers with subsidized power bills, bought off teachers unions with an early and generous contract extension, and gone to war with doctors as evidence of their determination to keep spending under control. (That battle, unfortunately, may just be starting: Ottawa’s deeply unpopular plan to change tax laws affecting many doctors may only prompt them to demand much higher pay next time they’re at the provincial bargaining table.)

There is a good chance the new marijuana regime will fail to fulfill the government’s hopes for it. The planned 150 outlets have been dismissed as far too few to meet demand. The cost of running the bureaucracy may push prices to the point that black market operators continue to find plenty of business. Pot is easier to smuggle than liquor; just look at the illicit tobacco trade for proof of that.

The unions will be happy with the plan, whether it works or not

But the unions will be happy with the plan, whether it works or not. And Ontarians may secretly breathe a sigh of relief, given that many continue to harbour considerable disquiet about legalization. They may tell pollsters they approve of legalization in theory, but open a pot store across the street from their kid’s school and see how they squawk. Private “dispensaries” may gripe, but they did nothing to help their cause by opening illegal storefront operations in defiance of the law, making a mockery of police efforts to shut them down. If you want to convince the public you can be trusted to keep illegal drugs away from the young, flouting the law is not a good way to go about it.

The new government outlets won’t open until next summer, ensuring judgement can’t be passed until the election is over. That suits the Liberals to a T. Nothing consumes Wynne and her colleagues more than the drive to win one more election. Posing as protectors of public integrity and the health of the young is great campaign material, even as Liberal beancounters tally up the revenue they hope to garner from peddling pot in government stores.

National Post