B.C. Premier John Horgan said he expected his first ministers香蕉视频直播 meeting in Ottawa to deal with moving marijuana sales away from an 香蕉视频直播渦ntested, unregulated and unsafe product香蕉视频直播 to a safe model, not to argue about Ottawa香蕉视频直播檚 surprise proposal to impose a national excise tax on it.
香蕉视频直播淲e were surprised to learn that the federal government also believes, not only do we need to control and regulate the distribution of marijuana, but they see it as an opportunity to raise revenue, and that was a shock to everyone around the table,香蕉视频直播 Horgan said Wednesday.
Recreational marijuana sales are to be legalized July 1, 2018, and federal officials chose the conference in Ottawa this week to reveal a proposed 10 per cent excise tax on marijuana sales. The revenue would be split 50-50 with the provinces where it is sold.
香蕉视频直播淲e made it abundantly clear that the costs to provinces and local governments seem to be rising, and we didn香蕉视频直播檛 see a role for the federal government in terms of taking revenues away from providing services to people,香蕉视频直播 Horgan said.
In language unusually strong for federal-provincial relations, Horgan said the task is 香蕉视频直播渢o make sure that kids don香蕉视频直播檛 get access to marijuana, to make sure that the distribution system is safe and fair, and that the regulation of the product, which will be done largely at the provincial level, largely at provincial cost, should not be an opportunity for the federal government to collect revenue.香蕉视频直播
The meeting also dealt with trade talks, both on renewing the North American Free Trade Agreement and the softwood lumber discussions that are particularly vital to B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 trade with the U.S.
Horgan said he is satisfied that B.C. trade representative David Emerson and federal negotiators are proceeding with both, despite attention being diverted by U.S. President Donald Trump香蕉视频直播檚 provocative statements on trade with Mexico dominating headlines.