Ottawa in talks to work out cannabis rules for First Nations territories

‘They left us behind’ when Cannabis Act gave provinces and territories control over retail, says chief.

The federal government’s lead minister on the cannabis file has been in talks with First Nations leaders over how to carve out First Nations jurisdiction over the cannabis industry on their territories.

Ottawa initially cut First Nations out of the cannabis regulatory and revenue-sharing regime when it developed the Cannabis Act which gave provincial and territorial governments control over the distribution and retail end, while Health Canada oversees the licensing of commercial production.

Ottawa also splits excise tax revenues 25 per cent to 75 per cent with provincial and territorial governments.

“They left us behind when they started going down that channel,” said Opaskwayak Cree Nation Onekanew (Chief) Christian Sinclair, who has been involved in the discussions.

by: Jorge Barrera · CBC News
READ MORE HERE: www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/cannabis-first-nations-framework-1.5258544