Feds pleased with ‘orderly’ transition to pot legalization, Bill Blair says

Yorkregion.com
March 8, 2019
Nicholas Keung

Ottawa is pleased with the “orderly” transition Canadians have made to the legalization of cannabis since last October, says Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair.

“You would recall the prediction of apocalyptic results. We had worked very hard to ensure we had strong regulatory controls in place before the implementation,” Blair told the Star in an interview Wednesday from Washington, where he met with American senators and law enforcement officials about border security issues, organized crime and illicit drug flow.

“We are in regular discussions with our American counterparts,” he said, noting people were initially concerned about the impact at the border. “I had every expectation that that would be managed in a very responsible way.”

Blair made the comments after a report showed a 60 per cent increase in the year-over-year number of cannabis confiscations by the Canada Border Services Agency in the first six weeks starting Oct. 17, when the law kicked in to allow adults in Canada to possess up to 30 grams of legal cannabis. The number of interceptions rose to 329 between Oct. 17 and Nov. 30 last year, up from 204 in the same period of 2017.

He attributed the upswing to new signage at all border crossings warning people about bringing in or taking out cannabis, as well as the additional focus of border officials on enforcement.

“Now we have the ability to manage it in a far more effective and proportional way,” he said adding the border agency has been vigilant and “we are seeing a positive impact.”

Blair said provincial governments and enforcement agencies have been provided with the tools to effectively regulate and enforce the law, though initially they needed a bit of adjustment in determining what the demand and choice would be.

“But once the distribution has been put in place, we are beginning to see the movement of consumers to legal choice and the displacement of the illegal market in their communities,” said Blair. “I think we are right on track, and certainly ahead of the goal we had set for ourselves in terms of how the regulated market is taking hold.”

Last week, the government tabled a bill to amend the Criminal Records Act to grant fast and free pardons to Canadians who were convicted of simple pot possession before cannabis legalization last year. And starting on April 1, Ontario will see its first brick-and-mortar cannabis retail stores opening for business.
Blair said he is not a bit concerned the physical stores would lead to more Americans popping across the border -- and more border violations.

“I might suggest cannabis is pretty readily available in most of the U.S., mind you it is a safer and healthier choice to acquire from a legal source,” noted Blair. “It is essential they understand our law allows adults to legally purchase cannabis here, but there’s no way they can carry that back into their country.”