FEDERALLY APPROVED MARIJUANA GROWERS MUST WAIT AND SEE

WINNIPEG - The future of a federally approved marijuana growing operation
in northern Manitoba is in doubt after comments by the federal health minister.

Anne McLellan says she wants the Supreme Court of Canada to settle legal
questions surrounding medicinal pot, an issue she says makes her feel "a
certain degree of discomfort."

That means she won't release any of the marijuana being grown for the
government until it's been tested in clinical trials.

Saskatoon-based Prairie Plant Systems has been contracted to produce 400
kilograms of marijuana a year, for the next four years. The pot is grown in
an old mine site owned by Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting in Flin Flon.

Officials from Prairie Plant Systems could not be reached for comment. But
Wayne Fraser, the mine's director of environment, says they'll have to wait
and see.

"The project direction changed when Anne McLellan took over from Allan Rock
but we'll see where this may end up," said Fraser.

But he says the company is already looking for other ways to diversify.
There are hundreds of acres of prime growing space in the old mine site.

"Down the road, this might be a very small part, if a part at all, of what
his business may be," said Fraser.

Phil Robinson, president of the Flin Flon and Area Chamber of Commerce, agrees.

He says Prairie Plant Systems is exploring the possibility of expanding its
operation to grow pharmaceuticals and genetically-altered crops.

"It would be a much larger operation. And in order to do studies in
biotechnology, you have to have a controlled environment and what could be
better than a mine?" said Robinson.

Robinson says the medicinal marijuana project has had problems delivering a
product of consistent quality or purity. The seeds come from plants seized
during police drug raids.

Robinson says he wasn't surprised by the Health Minister's comments.