The employees of the SAQ wants to sell pot

Archival photograph of Stevens LeBlanc
The unions believe that it is impossible to create a new Crown corporation for cannabis by July 2018. But the minister of Finance of Quebec, Carlos Leitao, does not want drugs and alcohol to be sold in the same places.

Annabelle Blais

Thursday, 7th September 2017 00:00

UPDATE
Thursday, 7th September 2017 00:00

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Two trade unions of the SAQ wants the Crown corporation to obtain the monopoly of the sale of cannabis in Quebec.

The two groups propose to use the distribution network of the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), but with employees who work in shops separate.

They will present this position to the public consultations on the structuring of the cannabis, which will take place today and tomorrow in Montreal.

“We talk about creating a department or even a subsidiary of the SAQ, which would use the same warehouses “, explains Pierre-Guy Sylvestre, union advisor with the CUPE, which represents truck drivers, security guards, operators at the bottling of the SAQ.

This department of cannabis would fall under the ministry of Health, suggests the union.

“It is unnecessary to create a second State-owned Company, it already has specialized in the distribution of matter illegal “, nods approval Katia Lelièvre, spokesperson of the trade union of employees of shops and offices, the TH-SAQ.

These employees would they go in the shops of cannabis ? “It remains to be seen,” continues Ms. Lelièvre.

All for a monopoly

The distribution of cannabis will be discussed by several speakers these days. The two unions argue that the creation of a whole new society of State by the legalization of cannabis, on July 1, 2018, is practically impossible.

“The SAQ is a distribution network that we just expand to open new stores. […] there really is no time to lose, ” insists Ms. Lelièvre.

At the Forum of experts on the framing of cannabis in June, several voices from the health community have argued for the creation of a new Crown corporation.

The Barreau du Québec and the federation of medical specialists will also come to articulate this point of view in the consultations.

The association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP) wants his side to be able to distribute medicinal cannabis in pharmacies.

“For questions of public health and prevention, it is essential to distribute, in separate systems, the cannabis and the cannabis is recreational,” said Rafaëlle Perron, to the public affairs of the AQPP.

In may, the president of the SAQ, Alain Brunet, claimed that he had never investigated the possibility of selling cannabis since the government had simply not entrusted the mandate.

No reflection at the SAQ

The minister of Finance Carlos Leitao, confirmed yesterday that no work of reflection has been initiated at the SAQ since, since he does not want to hear of the sale of cannabis alongside alcohol.

As to whether another branch of the same company and could see the light of day, he has not closed the door.

The Quebec government will introduce this fall the draft law on the supervision of the cannabis. The distribution of cannabis will be an important issue.

The Federation of Québec police officers, who denounced the fact that only 1% of police officers have been trained to detect cannabis use and driving, lamented yesterday the fact that the public safety issues occupy little space in the public debate.