By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: July 20, 2012
Squamish council voted against lending support to a group of eight BC Mayors who want marijuana decriminalised.
Councillors Doug Race, Ron Sander, and Rob Kirkham voted against sending a letter of support, while Councillors Bryan Raiser and Ted Prior supported the motion.
Councillors Patricia Heintzman and Susan Chapelle were not present at the meeting.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson was one among the eight mayors urging provincial political leaders to support the regulations and taxation of marijuana.
Besides Vancouver, mayors of Burnaby, North Vancouver, Vernon, Armstrong, Enderby, Lake Country, and Metchosin have joined hands with Stop the Violence BC.
Stop the Violence bills itself as a coalition of law enforcement officials, legal experts, public health officials, and academic experts who advocate delinking marijuana from organised crime by regulating and taxing it.
They believe regulating marijuana would allow government to raise tax revenue, address genuine health concerns, and eliminate huge profits from the marijuana industry to flow directly to organised crimes.
The group claims recent Angus Reid surveys show only 12 per cent of British Columbians support the current approach of marijuana prohibition.
Coun. Doug Race is one of those 12 per cent.
Race said he felt the district should not support something that is not part of the mandate.
“The Narcotics Control Act is federal legislation,” Race said.
“I don’t believe we as a municipal government have any moral right to endorse one side or the other of this debate. We do not have a mandate from our community to speak on this issue on their behalf.
Coun. Raiser said it’s wrong to to say the issue doesn’t extend to local constituents.
Raiser said the prohibition does not work.
“Everyone should be allowed to grow and possess a plant – follow the money and you can see who wants it criminalized and why,” he said.
He also vowed to bring the motion back on the table so that absent councillors could also vote on it.
Brad says
They’re all wrong. Drug policy is set in Washington, DC, not Ottawa or anywhere else. Lots of countries in this hemisphere want to end prohibition. The reason we don’t go ahead is because we don’t want to face an American trade embargo.
I agree drug prohibition is a waste of resources and is ultimately futile, however I agree with Coun. Race this one is way out of our jurisdiction. As for Coun. Raiser’s assertion that ‘local constituents’ need to be heard, it is worth noting those same constituents also vote in federal elections, are represented by federal MPs and can make their views heard there, although probably would be more effective to write President Obama. Council needs to stop veering off into side issues and stay focussed on main concerns like economy and infrastructure.
Stéphane says
Legalization would have positive consequences for public safety in Squamish. It is totally relevant to sign this letter of support. How will change ever take place at the federal level if we dont show our support along with those of other municipalities? This letter alone wont do it, but a multi-year campaign might one day lead to change that will finally remove this lucrative business out of the hands of organized crime. Marijuana is just about legal in California. Canada and BC can do the same.
Brad says
Totally agree with you Stephane, but as Coun. Race said, we don’t have a mandate from the community to speak on their behalf on this issue. I personally think all drugs should be decriminalized and non-violent drug offenders released, but there are others who are equally adamant the other way, and I respect their right to hold their own opinions. Coun. Raiser’s heart is in the right place, but his opinion is only just that — an opinion. Nobody has consulted with the wider community to ask if there is broad support for this. I don’t want Council speaking for the community when it hasn’t really consulted with us. Run a petition or something at least. Meanwhile, stay focussed on the job we decided to pay them 40% more to do… oh wait, we didn’t.. 🙂
Susan Chapelle says
The council has a mandate to protect the public and to tax business to help with infrastructure costs. Currently there are multiple licensed grow operations that we as a district cannot licence, inspect for safety, nor tax. This is completely a municipal issue. To not regulate marijuana that has proven health benefits, is prescribed regularly in Squamish is criminal. To not have licensed grow operations where people (cancer patients, MS, inflammatory disease are just a few conditions where it is prescribed) cannot gain access to medication due to backwards drug policy is criminal. That research has proven anti-inflammatory benefits, anti-nausea as well as anti-seziure control, that it is redly prescribed by Squamish doctors, that there are grow ops that support most of BC’s economy yet the municipalities cannot make safe, licence nor tax these profitable business’s is what is criminal. To start with the support of the “stop the violence” campaign and show support for other municipalities who agree that criminalizing a medication needed by many Squamish residences forces people who are suffering to participate in criminal activity. Next time you see a chemo patient, tell them they are a criminal and cannot have access to their medication because it is illegal to distribute, tax and make safe. When are we going to be strong enough to stand up for what is right. It is everyones responsibility to stand up for “stop the violence” and to ask their governments to vote for decriminalization of medical marijuana. We are voted in by the public to represent the public. For me that includes my many patients that need marijuana to control pain, seizures, and throwing up after chemotherapy. There has NEVER been a cancer associated with marijuana. If anyone wants a break down of ingredients, flavonoids and benefits from the National Institute of Health, please feel free to get in touch.
The Squamish Caveman says
It’s a shame you weren’t there to vote.
Brad says
I have lost close family members to cancer, who went through chemo, so I actually do understand the pressing need for whatever treatments are available. Not disagreeing one iota about the stupidity of our drug laws.
However I don’t understand the reluctance to consult with the electorate first. This issue was not discussed during the campaign and cannot be construed as part of the Council’s present mandate. A simple petition drive or even a public hearing would suffice. It’s not like drug laws are going to change tomorrow. You can certainly represent patients, no question about that. But you also have to represent the others who may not share your views. There is no harm in consultation before taking this up again. Really, you could be using your soap box to push people to harrass our overpaid MPs. It’d be nice to see them do something useful for a change.
Brad says
And I want to be clear I’m not attacking any of our Councillors who support this. Coun. Raiser and Prior — the whole group really are excellent. I adore Susan because she tells it like it is and is passionate about her causes and gets stuff done. I just like to challenge our leaders from time to time on certain issues.
Susan Chapelle says
I like being challenged. Voting on issues can be expensive. However perhaps a survey monkey can be done out of interest. This is of course a letter to the government on a stand to allow us to properly moderate business. A letter often does not much, but when multiple communities are saying the same thing, including Vancouver’s mayor Gregor Robertson we should advocate with them for what is right. I believe that our electorate would like the tax money provided by legitimate business, grow operations. They cannot be licensed or taxed, nor can we regulate for fire hazards through inspections. These are business’s controlled by the federal government, that operate out of our town currently. Our municipality should be allowed to regulate our business, tax appropriately, and make safe for neighbourhoods. It really has nothing to do with drug law, its a bizarre thing that we can have legitimate business that grows for licensed users that can run without contributing to our municipal tax base or infrastructure cost.
Brad says
I recall hearing of a licenced grow op in the business park. The building in question’s residents smelled it and thought it illegal and called it in, supposedly it turned out to be a legal one but kept quiet for security reasons.
The reason I think drug laws have to go is because if you have a legitimate and illegitimate market co-existing, chances are the former will end up being victimized by the latter. The decision, if true, to keep the business park grow up under wraps makes sense because criminal organizations would almost certainly target it, either as a threat to their illegal business or as a source of product to be stolen. If the location of those legit grow ops are known, that increases the risk to the producer. If they’re kept secret, it leaves the public uncertain as to whether to report their neighbour or not. Prohibition has got to go!