Where can I voice my views on cannabis legalization?
Bill 6, the Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act, includes a provision that requires within one year of convening of the first session of the 19th Assembly, that the Legislative Assembly or a designated committee they establish, begin a review of the Cannabis Products Act, the Cannabis Smoking Control Act, and the changes to the Motor Vehicles Act. On completion of the review, a report that includes any recommendations for changes to the legislation will tabled in the House.
Where can community governments go if they have questions about the legalization of cannabis in the NWT?
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will draw on resources from other departments to ensure that community governments are supported as they navigate the changes related to the legalization of cannabis and identify how these changes will impact them.
Background on Previous Engagement
The GNWT conducted a cannabis public engagement from mid-July to late September, 2017. That process had three components:
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An online survey available to all residents.
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Public meetings held in all seven regional centres, including Yellowknife, and two representative smaller communities.
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120 letters sent to community and Indigenous governments, including the City of Yellowknife, the NWT Association of Communities, the Local Government Administrators of the NWT, and a range of non-government organizations and other organizations, inviting them to respond to the survey questions or to raise other topics related to cannabis legalization.
In follow up, letters were sent in December and January to all Indigenous and community governments advising them of the current status of our work on cannabis, and providing copies of the “What We Heard” and “The Way Forward” reports. In late January, two teleconference engagement sessions were held with SAOs across the territories to advise them of the aspects of the cannabis plan that will particularly impact community governments.
Officials from Justice, Finance, Infrastructure, MACA, and the WSCC attended the meetings of the NWT Association of Communities in Hay River in mid-February 2018, to provide information about our ongoing preparations, and to hear the concerns of community governments.