'I want Markham to be marijuana-free': mayoral candidate as pot debate dominates discussion at forum

Regional council candidate on pot legalization: 'The worst law ever imposed by the federal government'

Yorkregion.com
October 9, 2018
Tim Kelly

It took a while but the Markham mayoral/regional councillor candidates forum held Saturday eventually went to pot. Or, at least, the topic of discussion did.

It seems inevitable in retrospect given that marijuana legalization is coming Wednesday, Oct. 17, which will allow Canadians 19-and-older to order cannabis online from the Ontario Cannabis Store.

What got the three of five mayoral candidates and eight of 12 regional council candidates who turned up at Saturday’s debate fired up, was the idea of being able to smoke cannabis anywhere you can smoke cigarettes.

That was the surprising news the PC provincial government released when it provided an update regarding how cannabis would be dealt with late last month.

It left virtually every Markham political hopeful shaking his head -- there were no female candidates  -- on Saturday and in support of a petition that seeks to ask the provincial government to restrict cannabis smoking in Markham to private property only. That was what the previous Liberal government had said would be the law once pot was legalized.

Frank Scarpitti, running for re-election to the mayor’s chair, is deeply unhappy with the idea of pot being smoked in public places and has made his displeasure known. He reiterated his thoughts on Saturday at the New Kennedy Square, 8360 Kennedy Road.

“It’s not the Liberal government that’s letting people smoke everywhere, it’s this current government," he said. "I applauded the decision on retail (to allow municipalities to opt-out of selling marijuana in stores until Jan. 22), I said you really should have the same approach -- let municipalities decide where they are going to allow people to smoke marijuana -- because in Markham, I would never support what this provincial government has done."

Regional council candidate Joe Li, running for re-election, went further than Scarpitti, calling the move to legalize marijuana: “the worst law ever imposed by the federal government. This smoking should stop.”

Li said he hopes the next federal government overturns the law and bans legalization of marijuana.

“This is a bad law and should be revoked whenever the next government comes in.”

Jim Jones, also running for re-election to regional council, assured everyone in the audience, “I absolutely don’t smoke, never have smoked and don’t endorse marijuana.”

“I can’t stand marijuana smoke but that doesn’t mean my wants and needs should infringe upon another person’s wants and needs," regional council hopeful Ray Lai said. "Everybody in this city matters and we cannot paint in broad strokes.”

Police officer Niran Jeyanesan, running for regional council, says he’s concerned about the impact of pot.

“Smoking marijuana is not like smoking cigarettes," he said. "You are impaired once you’ve smoked marijuana, your ability to work, your ability to drive, your ability to walk is affected.”

Jeff Leung, seeking election to regional councillor, simply said he wants to represent the will of his constituents.

“We should listen to our residents and fight for them.”

And Aaron Madar, also looking to get elected to regional council, said: “I definitely believe in making it safe. We have to work together.”

Regional council hopeful Peter Pavlovic seemed to take a live and let live attitude toward marijuana legalization.

“I don’t smoke, I’m not a big supporter of it, as long as it doesn’t impede on our rights, I’m OK with it.”

And Jack Heath, seeking re-election to regional council, said he pushed long and hard for the smoking bylaw and sees some similarities with smoking marijuana.

“I’ve already spoken about how much I am not in favour of the sale of cannabis in retail stores on the streets of Markham anywhere and I can also say one thing, way back, 15 years ago, I was the guy behind the no-smoking bylaw in Markham," he said. "We introduced it here, some of that bylaw is in the provincial regulations. We own the public property, significant, we can take that next step, I don’t want to have kids in our community, I don’t want drivers in our roads smoking marijuana."

Mayoral hopeful Jawed Syed was clear where he stood.

“I don’t support it. I want Markham to be marijuana-free.”

And finally, mayoral candidate Abdul Rahman Malik said: “I have never smoked marijuana, I am not in favour of it being legalized, but it is legalized. We’re in this new world, what we need to do is control, people who want to smoke, let them smoke.”

The candidates also dealt with questions involving business promotion in Markham and affordable housing among other issues.

Advance voting begins on Oct. 12. Election day is Monday, Oct. 22.