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Bill Kelly: Finance ministers’ meeting is a potluck affair

Growing flowers of cannabis intended for the medical marijuana market are shown at OrganiGram in Moncton, N.B., on April 14, 2016.
Growing flowers of cannabis intended for the medical marijuana market are shown at OrganiGram in Moncton, N.B., on April 14, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward

What a difference a couple of years can make.

Not long ago, the Harper government was quite clear that they had no intention of legalizing marijuana, and most provincial governments were totally onside with avoiding any kind of debate on such a touchy subject.

But, that was then, and now, have things ever changed.

The Trudeau government has set a course for legalization, which is overwhelmingly supported by public opinion, and support for the pot industry is coming from some unlikely sources.

A couple of former cabinet ministers in the Harper government, who publicly opposed legalization, have now invested in marijuana supply companies and the moral debate about legalization is becoming a distant memory.

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To be clear, there is still a huge debate about pot, but it’s switched from the moral debate about legalization to the much more pragmatic discussion about who gets the money.

Finance ministers from across the country are meeting this week to implore the federal government to give the provinces a greater share of the revenue from the soon-to-be-created marijuana industry in Canada.

It’s a surreal scenario for a lot of people; government ministers arguing about who gets the proceeds from marijuana sales.

How things have changed. I guess you could say that this joint meeting of finance ministers is a potluck affair.

Bill Kelly is the host of Bill Kelly Show on AM 900 CHML

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