So What Now?

I'm interested in what everyone's plans are now that we have won this battle. We have a wide cross section of people on here and an equal selection of different ideas. Some are concerned solely with having grow rights restored, others with access options and still others focused on recreational. We have a few that are looking to be small time producers or dispensary owners, and the ones that would rather the government have no say in anything in regards to pot. Now that we can relax a little, let's have a discussion...

I joined this site about the time I got the 'big white envelope' from HC. My original reasons were to find others in my situation to fight the mmpr...100% success, imo. I've 'met' some great people on here (and a few I butted heads with) but it's all been entertaining and somehow therapeutic. While I'm keeping an eye on what HC does to replace the mmpr, my right to grow is guaranteed, so I count it as a win. I'm waiting for word that we can move our gardens...?
I'm focusing now on legalization for recreational use, and doing my part to try to get the system that will work for all. I've spent a good part of my life advocating for legal weed so I need to help make sure it's done right. I have written, and will continue to write letters stating my ideas...hopefully some of them will make up part of the new 'legal'. I am confident we will be able to live with what they come up with. If not, we fight on...it's never over till I get what I want! lol

My idea of legal resembles the regulation around alcohol. While they're two completely different substances, society equates them as equal...so that's how it will be,imo. Not a bad thing. No Canadian adult has any problem making or buying booze, and while kids still get their hands on it, we don't make it easy. I think there should be an immediate end to arrests for marijuana offences. Every adult should be able to grow 6 plants, carry two oz's and make their own concentrates and edibles. Retail sales should be allowed in a variety of locations from drug stores to private ma & pa dispensaries to coffee shops. True mj users will choose the small guy with the knowledge and personalized service over Shoppers Generic Schwag.

The one thing that really needs to change is the stigma attached to users. It's hard enough being an mmj patient where we are protected from discrimination, but rec users don't have that protection. I foresee employers firing people or refusing to hire because of mj use. What about the RCMP or the military where alcohol is a huge part of the culture? Will weed be as accepted?

These are some interesting times and something I've been looking forward to for 35 years...

At some point..I would like to think that weed will be placed where it really belongs....on the list of noxious or toxic substances that people use...
Its so benign in comparison to alcohol...that the distinction will some day be public knowledge ..simply due to the fact that
more people will have used the substance ...than have not....and it will be a lot easier for the individual to fess up to its use.
Alcohol has had such drastic impacts on society....and yet thru the media its still somewhat glorified...but becoming less so every day...
I can see that alcohol and other harder drugs will take the brunt of the focus that weed once had...though there will always be anti's for every substance.
Biggest lessons learned here should be "prohibition" of pretty much anything does not work.

when we get our rights back, maybe look at seeing what's involved to start a "co-op" or something like a "U grow" facility depending on how it goes. this would help a lot of folks as well.

The big question now is whether the govt will appeal. The optics of that would be a disaster, but I've gotten no response from the justice and health ministers or Trudeau, so I'm betting that they will appeal. Then this whole mess is tied up for at least a few more years.

If a miracle happens and they don't appeal, then Conroy will try and vary the injunction at a remedies hearing. This is with Phelan, not Manson, and Phelan's concern about varying being inappropriate is gone now that the trial has concluded. Either HC will update their database (likely), or constitutional exemptions (not likely).

Beyond that, assuming no appeal, the real question is what the government is going to do in 6 months. I'm becoming increasingly skeptical of Trudeau's legalization framework, and given his recent announcement regarding no pardons I think that's going to be a colossal disaster.

So if you were covered under the injunction, nothing to worry about for at least 6 months. If you moved, or weren't covered, there's at least a chance Phelan will remedy that too.

The bottom line is if Trudeau continues with his 'highly regulated' approach and cuts out dispensaries altogether and says no home growing even with the court ruling, the BM will continue to thrive, and the LPC will have missed the whole point of legalization.

JungleStrikeGuy said:

The big question now is whether the govt will appeal. The optics of that would be a disaster, but I've gotten no response from the justice and health ministers or Trudeau, so I'm betting that they will appeal. Then this whole mess is tied up for at least a few more years.

If a miracle happens and they don't appeal, then Conroy will try and vary the injunction at a remedies hearing. This is with Phelan, not Manson, and Phelan's concern about varying being inappropriate is gone now that the trial has concluded. Either HC will update their database (likely), or constitutional exemptions (not likely).

Beyond that, assuming no appeal, the real question is what the government is going to do in 6 months. I'm becoming increasingly skeptical of Trudeau's legalization framework, and given his recent announcement regarding no pardons I think that's going to be a colossal disaster.

So if you were covered under the injunction, nothing to worry about for at least 6 months. If you moved, or weren't covered, there's at least a chance Phelan will remedy that too.

The bottom line is if Trudeau continues with his 'highly regulated' approach and cuts out dispensaries altogether and says no home growing even with the court ruling, the BM will continue to thrive, and the LPC will have missed the whole point of legalization.

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If they knew what was good for them and everyone else for that matter
.... there's no way in hell they'd ever consider it!

It'd be the end of what JT tried to start!
As things stand..I dont think anyone is going to care much about doing it anyway other than the way they want themselves. which is the way it should be after all.

JungleStrikeGuy said:

The big question now is whether the govt will appeal. The optics of that would be a disaster, but I've gotten no response from the justice and health ministers or Trudeau, so I'm betting that they will appeal. Then this whole mess is tied up for at least a few more years.

If a miracle happens and they don't appeal, then Conroy will try and vary the injunction at a remedies hearing. This is with Phelan, not Manson, and Phelan's concern about varying being inappropriate is gone now that the trial has concluded. Either HC will update their database (likely), or constitutional exemptions (not likely).

Beyond that, assuming no appeal, the real question is what the government is going to do in 6 months. I'm becoming increasingly skeptical of Trudeau's legalization framework, and given his recent announcement regarding no pardons I think that's going to be a colossal disaster.

So if you were covered under the injunction, nothing to worry about for at least 6 months. If you moved, or weren't covered, there's at least a chance Phelan will remedy that too.

The bottom line is if Trudeau continues with his 'highly regulated' approach and cuts out dispensaries altogether and says no home growing even with the court ruling, the BM will continue to thrive, and the LPC will have missed the whole point of legalization.

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if they appeal, i think im going to try for intervener status. i need changes to my license and there isn't a rep for this group

They have 30days to appeal right?

bigmanc said:

They have 30days to appeal right?

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if they don't appeal then Goldstars gets their kick at the can. i thought it was over for them but only 4 of the 20 torts were covered by Allard so this will be good.

I'll let you know how I really feel in 2-3 weeks depending on what the government does.

6 plants isn't anywhere near enough.

doingdishes said:

if they don't appeal then Goldstars gets their kick at the can. i thought it was over for them but only 4 of the 20 torts were covered by Allard so this will be good.

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This is what I'm talking about, lets get goldstars in over drive so we can get some changes.

JungleStrikeGuy said:

The bottom line is if Trudeau continues with his 'highly regulated' approach and cuts out dispensaries altogether and says no home growing even with the court ruling, the BM will continue to thrive, and the LPC will have missed the whole point of legalization.

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I haven't seen any 'highly regulated' approach that would interfere with any adult enjoying cannabis. There is always going to be some sort of concessions to appease the opponents and attempting to limit access to youth is one society will demand. I don't see that as oppressive at all. There has been zero indication that dispensaries will be closed and in fact it was alluded to that provinces and municipalities would determine sales and taxation. There is also no serious talk of banning recreational grows and in light of the medical ruling that found perceived risks to be unsubstantiated, it would be very difficult to justify, imo. As for going against the court ruling for mmj patients grow rights...never going to happen...ever. I think it's a little too early to say the LPC have missed the mark on legal mj considering they have barely gotten out of the gate.

bigmanc said:

They have 30days to appeal right?

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Correct...if they want to appeal anything in Phelan's ruling they have 30 days from judgement.

Tick, tock....

if they appeal, the writing is on the wall...

What grounds do they have to appeal? I highly doubt they have come up with new evidence to prove any risk to the public. I also don't see the Liberals wanting to continue Harper's fight against patients in court...bad optics for very little gain. I don't see an appeal, but I do see a request for an extension of the six months.

VIANARCHRIS said:

What grounds do they have to appeal? I highly doubt they have come up with new evidence to prove any risk to the public. I also don't see the Liberals wanting to continue Harper's fight against patients in court...bad optics for very little gain. I don't see an appeal, but I do see a request for an extension of the six months.

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From my understanding, any request for an extension has to come under appeal within 30 days of the decision.

With a valid reason. Cant be a "just because"reason. Whqt will happen is they will wait until the last minute, say they were too busy to address this and ask for an extension. Cop out, IF they go this route

VIANARCHRIS said:

What grounds do they have to appeal? I highly doubt they have come up with new evidence to prove any risk to the public. I also don't see the Liberals wanting to continue Harper's fight against patients in court...bad optics for very little gain. I don't see an appeal, but I do see a request for an extension of the six months.

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and the conservatives had every reason to appeal...that's the point...it's for a judge to decide...delay and stall tactics...they could have decriminalized immediately....they didn't...bill blair is another concern of mine...

and are we still in a fledgling lp market?

An appeal is very, very unlikely, as the decision itselt cannot be appealed. What can be appealed is the process or evidence that had the judge arrive at his decision. If there was in a glaring error in the process itself then they can argue that the decision might be different if the error was corrected... and that is highly unlikely.

VIANARCHRIS said:

I haven't seen any 'highly regulated' approach that would interfere with any adult enjoying cannabis. There is always going to be some sort of concessions to appease the opponents and attempting to limit access to youth is one society will demand. I don't see that as oppressive at all. There has been zero indication that dispensaries will be closed and in fact it was alluded to that provinces and municipalities would determine sales and taxation. There is also no serious talk of banning recreational grows and in light of the medical ruling that found perceived risks to be unsubstantiated, it would be very difficult to justify, imo. As for going against the court ruling for mmj patients grow rights...never going to happen...ever. I think it's a little too early to say the LPC have missed the mark on legal mj considering they have barely gotten out of the gate.

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You should look at the mess that I-502 is then, particularly with the blood level of cannabis required to be declared 'impaired' while driving.

We 'appeased' the opponents with the MMAR being written in the gazette rather than legislation, and we all know how that ended up.

Dispensaries are being raided left and right and you consider that '0' indication? Get serious. Talk to the patients in Alberta and Saskatchewan who no longer have access to their medicine about how bright the dispensary future seems to be.

There's been no 'serious talk' about anything from the LPC, other than 'right away' turned into 'no timeline'. Blair admitted he's basing the approach on the MMPR, which outright bans home grows, so I'm not really sure why you're trying to stick your head in the sand here.

You are always rolling the dice when it comes to the courts, no one thought Mernagh would go as badly as it did but we also know how that ended up. The LPC have already 'missed the mark' by assigning cops / big rehab to the file.