By Jon Hiltz

 

In yet another spit in the face to Toronto’s cannabis dispensaries and medical patients, the City Council’s Licensing Committee put off a scheduled debate to discuss the new legal landscape.

Many dispensary owners and pot activists were on hand to show their disgust, as they were not allowed to speak once the Council voted 5-1 to defer until October of this year.  This was a further insult to the cannabis community which received the same result back on May 19th just before the horror show that was Project Claudia. On that day, pot activists went down to the licensing committee and were told to come back in June to be heard.

The reason for the continued deferral was that the Council believed it was up to the Federal Government to sort out its marijuana plan on the dispensary issue.

This further delay also leaves the door open for police continue raiding well-maintained and health conscious businesses.  It also puts the Toronto Police further at odds with the community as the majority of Torontonians have no problem with marijuana dispensaries.

“They said that they are waiting for direction from the federal government but we just don’t care [about that point].  The federal government is not the one that’s doing the raids and they are not the one issuing by-law fines,” said Tania Cyalume one of the owners of Queens of Cannabis on Bloor Street.

Tania and her co-owner Brandy were on hand at City Hall that morning and ready to speak at this much needed debate.  “They even let us register, there were fifteen of us registered to speak.  The whole thing took about three minutes.” Tania went on to add that before it all ended, there was a debate between City Councillors as some of them didn’t want to defer until October and wanted the dispensaries to have their say. City Councillor Jim Karygiannis was among the dissenters who wants to see safe and affordable access for Toronto’s patients as soon as possible.

The whole time this was taking place, Toronto Police were busy sending out more warning letters to dispensary owners.  “A Police letter went out yesterday to [dispensary] Section 56.  Same one as we got, it just says they have to cease all unlawful activity on the premises.”  Meanwhile, Tania and Brandy have their court date coming up on July 21st. “Maybe that’s what I should tell [the Judge], that we want to defer our hearing until the federal government steps in.”