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Officers are not the only ones concerned about the government’s proposed timeline, Conservative health critic Marilyn Gladu said Tuesday, noting many provinces do not have plans in place and municipalities are worried as well.

“Why are you in such a hurry to risk public harm?” Gladu asked. “Are you willing to consider pushing off the date until all of these stakeholders are ready?”

In response, Wilson-Raybould said the government remains committed to legalizing marijuana by July 2018, noting the current legal approach is an “abysmal failure.”

“We are committed to ensuring we do something about that as quickly and as appropriately as we can,” Wilson-Raybould said.

“In doing so, we have taken an extremely comprehensive approach over the last two years to ensure that we … continue to have conversations with all of our counterparts in the provinces and territories.”

NDP health critic Don Davies also raised concerns about the government’s plans on edible forms of cannabis.

“If prohibition doesn’t work, as you said, why are you prohibiting edibles?” Davies said.

The federal government will ensure Canadians have access to dry, fresh cannabis and oils by next July, said Petitpas Taylor, adding the government agrees with a federally-appointed task force it must confront the issue.

She said, however, regulations will be required to deal with the matter, adding it will be “done in due course.”

Petitpas Taylor also warned that edible forms of cannabis created a host of challenges in U.S. states where marijuana received the green light, noting a wide range of products could be legalized here.