COUNCILLOR FAILS TO FIND SUPPORT FOR RESOLUTION

Coun. Joy Davies failed to find a seconder for her motion on improved
access to medical marijuana at last week's city council meeting.

Davies had hoped to take her motion to the Association of Kootenay
Boundary Local Governments (AKBLG). The motion called for the
provincial government "to assume licensing and regulation of medical
marijuana to ensure safe local access."

However, without a seconder, the motion was defeated without
debate.

In an interview, Coun. Chris Moslin said he didn't support the motion
because he thought it would be better if the push came from citizens
rather than from council.

"I was hoping that the community would talk about it calmly in a
public forum, such as the Economic Development Task Force," he said.

However, Moslin said there was too much division in the community on
the issue.

"There's been too much hysteria and too many other issues," he
said.

This is the second time Davies has proposed a resolution calling for
improved access to medical marijuana. Her first motion proposed taking
the motion to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. At that
time, Moslin said he would support the motion if it went to the AKBLG
first for fine-tuning.

However, the documentary CannaBiz, played a role in his decision, he
said.

"We would almost be the last community to be bringing this motion
forward," he said. "Because we've been identified so strongly with
this issue."

Moslin said he is still in favour of changing medical marijuana laws
to make the system work better.

"Ignoring the problem, like the current federal government is doing,
isn't making it go away," he said.

Coun. Davies did not return phone calls by press time.

Council will be taking three other motions to the UBCM. Mayor Brian
Taylor proposed a resolution asking the province to restore gaming
grants to local non-profit groups.

Moslin proposed two resolutions. The first was to ask the federal and
provincial governments to soften their regulations and timelines on
stimulus funded programs to help small municipalities, which have
fewer disposable funds and smaller staff, to go ahead with projects.

His second resolution, which narrowly passed, with three council
members of seven opposed, asked the province for assistance in dealing
with wildlife.

"I'm hoping this resolution will create resources for more
conservation officers that will operate with more appropriate
regulations for urban hunting," he said. "I'm hoping that maybe there
might be some provincial subsidies for fencing where it might be
applicable, that is where it might make a difference, and more
importantly, I'm hoping that it might stir some money for habitat
restoration."

However, Coun. Gene Robert said he was opposed to the motion, because
he felt the focus should be on habitat restoration not "getting rid"
of urban wildlife.

"I think one of the major problems and the responsibility of us as
citizens is to give them (deer) back the habitat that they've been
chased out of," he said.