COUNCIL TURNS DOWN PETITION REQUEST

Council Won't Agree To Stop Talking About Medical Marijuana

City council turned down the request on a petition, signed by 152 people,
to stop talking about the subject of medical marijuana at its meetings.

The petition, which has been at Work N Play and Yaky Jacquie's for the
past few months, was discussed at last week's city council meeting after
being presented at the Nov. 16 meeting. Coun. Gene Robert proposed a
motion asking council not to discuss the issue for the duration of the
term.

"My argument is that we do not have the legislative authority to deal with
this, and what this has essentially done is split the community and split
this council," he said.

However, only he and Coun. Cher Wyers voted in favour of the motion.

"This is likely unconstitutional and probably illegal," said Mayor Brian
Taylor of the motion.

Coun. Joy Davies said, that although medical marijuana is legal, people
are having trouble accessing it.

"We are facing our people face to face at this level of government and
that's why our level of government brings issues up through UBCM, the
provincial organization. and the FCM, which is the federal municipal
organization where we address federal issues, so I'm not too sure where my
colleagues think this does not belong at our table," she said. "Everything
belongs at our table."

Wyers said she supported the petition, because the city has more immediate
concerns.

"My position is we have so many other things in our community that we have
to deal with that are local, that if we're going to proceed with medical
marijuana as a legislation or venturing out there against the federal
government and Health Canada, then we need our taxpayers to give us that
go ahead."

Coun. Chris Moslin said he didn't support Robert's motion because members
of the public have the right to address any matters they wish at council
meetings. Despite his opposition to taking action at city council on the
issue, Coun. Michael Wirischagin agreed.

Coun. Christine Thompson criticized local resident Sylvia Treptow for
bringing the issue forward.

"The only time that we are discussing this issue of late is when Mrs.
Treptow either comes to the podium at the conclusion of our meeting or
presents us petitions or documentation that we have to take our valuable
time and resources to discuss and debate when they could be used to
discuss and debate other issues," she said. "So, if Mrs. Treptow would be
kind enough to no longer present us with her point of view, which I think
we all have adequate information on, then we don't have to waste our time,
or her time, or anybody's time discussing this issue."

Thompson also criticized the petition itself noting that only 74
signatories were taxpayers or eligible voters of Grand Forks. The rest
were from Areas C or D and a few were from other areas. As well, she said
she could "not find any credibility" in the petition because someone had
written a vulgar phrase at the top of the first page.

Later, during the question period, Treptow responded to Thompson's comments.

"It's one thing to continually brush me aside and sit there with your
fingers in your ears, but you're also doing it to every single person who
signed that petition," she said.