Since the inception of Cannabis At Work, we have always invested in the industry, looking for ways to add value and demonstrate our long-term commitment to the sector. Attending Cannabis Council of Canada's Grass on the Hill event in November in Ottawa was another example of this. Here are my takeaways and your call to action from the event.
There is a real sense of urgency. If not already obvious, there is a real and palpable need for change in the industry. This includes a somewhat overwhelming list of “asks,” including changes to federal and provincial taxes, provincial markups, the Health Canada regulatory fee, stifling regulations, and ongoing competition from the illicit market. I expect you could add more items to this list.
A few executive members from C3 participated in a press conference during the event, in which they expressed that the industry is in crisis.
Elected officials don’t know much about the cannabis industry. C3 arranged meetings with elected officials across party lines. We spoke with staffers, the Cannabis Caucus, ISED, and the CRA. In all of this, it was clear that bureaucrats, elected officials, and their staff know little about our industry. There is a real lack of accountability across the government for ownership of the cannabis file. This was surprising and disappointing for me to learn.
Lobbying matters. This is why it is SO VERY important that you request a meeting with your MP to educate them on your cannabis business—both the opportunities it presents and the challenges you are facing. This is your CALL TO ACTION.
Don’t consider yourself a lobbyist? Me neither. But I’d challenge you on that because lobbying is simply a “form of advocacy with the intention of influencing decisions made by the government.” In another article, I shared how we have engaged with our MP (and hint: it’s not rocket science).
What about the Cannabis Act review? The Cannabis Act Review is underway with feedback from the public and industry being accepted until November 21, 2022. This is an important activity and you should submit a response. However, not all matters are tied directly to legislation, and we know that this review will be lengthy; it will not offer immediate solutions to our very real challenges today.
At the Grass on the Hill event, we were reminded through polling data that legalization was a win for the Liberal party, and the majority of Canadians agree with cannabis legalization. My biggest takeaway from my time lobbying in Ottawa is that we need to be engaging and educating our elected officials on our industry and our challenges and asking for what we need to achieve success.
At Cannabis At Work, we remain committed to the long-term success of the cannabis sector. Thank you to all my industry friends and colleagues that are speaking up, asking for meetings, giving facility tours, and lobbying within various levels of government to give our industry a voice. I see you and I appreciate you. Keep up the good work.
