Winkler, Manitoba mayor calls province’s pot plan unfair

Manitoba rural municipalities are reacting to Premier Brian Pallister’s pot plan announced Tuesday.

Parts of Manitoba’s plan were revealed, including how pot sales would be handled in rural municipalities and cities.

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Pallister said local governments would have the ability to decide if and where marijuana shops could set up in their communities.

Martin Harder, Mayor of Winkler, Man., is upset with the decision.

“I think it’s unfair,” Harder said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I think it's unfair," Harder said.

He said this is a federal initiative and he feels no matter what decision he makes for Winkler and its residents, he will have to live with the consequences.

“This is political suicide,” Harder said.

Harder said Winkler’s city council has been working on the bylaws around cannabis sales and the zoning for Winkler because his city was under the impression pot was to be sold everywhere.

But, he said it came as a shock when he heard Premier Pallister was leaving the decision to local governments on whether they’d want to block pot shops from setting up stores in their communities.

“We are in a no win situation and it’s unfair to I think to download it on us to be in that situation,” Harder said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We are in a no win situation and it's unfair to I think to download it on us to be in that situation," Harder said.

Mayors of Morden and Steinbach said it is too soon to comment, deferring statements until after they have met with respective council members.