Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 4/5/2017 (1231 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canada is legalizing cannabis and it should be no surprise that the country is taking a very Canadian approach to the whole thing.

We are now about a year out from having legislation in place for recreational cannabis and in the meantime there are very careful, organized efforts underway to deal with all the moving parts that need to be addressed.

Cannabis Canada, the organization that represents about half of the country’s 40 licensed medical marijuana producers, is holding a two-day conference in Winnipeg starting Friday as part of a process to develop a national public education strategy.

It will be the second event the group has held — the first one was last weekend in Ottawa. Others will be rolled out across the country in the fall.

The two-day event at the RBC Convention Centre (that is open to the public at cost of $25 for each day) includes presentations about business opportunities and educational sessions the first day and more general presentations on Saturday with the most recent updates on the current status of the cannabis industry.

Senior representatives from the licensed medical marijuana producers will present as well as a representative of the Association of Chiefs of Police and the deputy minister of justice for Manitoba.

"We’re really trying to get all sorts of people to attend," said Colette Rivet, executive director of Cannabis Canada. "We want to get the education out there before anything gets legalized."

While the existing licensed producers obviously have a vested interest in how the regulations eventually come together, there is a general sense that the more inclusive and the broader the conversation is, the better the likelihood of the system succeeding

"Every province will have a unique take on how it will be regulated," she said. "And we are ready to work with all of them."

Discussions will include the legislative and regulatory challenges facing the cannabis industry including dealing with driver intoxication, industry best practices and general education about cannabis use, production and sale.

Cam Battley, executive vice-president of Aurora Cannabis Inc. and a board member of Cannabis Canada, will be one of the presenters at the Winnipeg conference.

Supplied A rendering of the Aurora Sky marijuana production plant under construction at the Edmonton International Airport.

He said all industry stakeholders know there needs to be proper conversations with law enforcement and provincial and municipal officials across the country.

"There are lots of questions that need to be answered and they need to be answered collectively," he said.

"We are doing something really big in Canada. What we are hoping is that the regime that is established, province by province, for the consumer use of cannabis is sustainable."

Battley has had a lengthy career in policy and communication in the biotech and pharmaceutical business around the world. He is impressed with the speed and excitement at which the cannabis business in Canada is developing.

"We are inventing a new industry in real time," he said. "And there should be net benefit to Canadians. But there are risks, too."

Despite the fact his own company, Alberta-based Aurora, has grown from a market capitalization of about $70 million a year ago to close to $1 billion today, he said, "There’s not going to be an oligopoly."

When it comes to the decisions on how the eventual sales of the recreational cannabis will take place, Battley said he and Aurora would prefer a multi-channel approach, one that will leave room for the small independent shop.

He also said the system for medical marijuana production has proven to be effective in a very short period of time, creating some confidence in the prospects of establishing a workable framework for safety and quality control.

Just as food production in Canada is regulated as it is for beer, wine and liquor, the same kind of oversight should be in place for cannabis production and distribution.

"No one is selling bathtub gin in Canada," he said. "Production should be regulated. We can handle that. There is no need to fear the regulator. There has been no undue burden to date."

Clearly there are many details to be worked out. Battley is one who believes those who are hesitant about the whole concept of legalization will become more convinced about the reasonableness of the public policy with more open dialogue.

And considering the fact that prohibition has not worked and Canadians are statistically among the highest consumers of cannabis already, there is likely benefits to the community were it to be legalized and regulated.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca