One Simple Question for the Mayor

Header 2- Post 14

To All Licensed Growers of Medical Marijuana

And

Anyone Wanting to Become One

Please pay very close attention.

The post that follows this introduction is an e-mail I just sent to a whole collection of Mayors across the country. I suggest you read it because it dumps the whole legal growth of Medical Marijuana right where it belongs, into the municipal area of control.

It’s very long because there’s a lot to say, but all in all it adds up to one simple question.

“Is there any municipality in Canada that has a by-law structure that will permit the legal growth of Medical Marijuana within its borders?”

I can’t wait to find out so I let her rip! Enjoy a plain speaking question and a ??? response. Just like fishing, you never know what’s going to’ happen!

Post # 14 - One Simple Question for the Mayor- How Can I Get Legal?

To the Attention of Mayor Dianne Watts, Surrey BC

CC: 35 Mayors across Canada plus a couple of newspapers who might be interested in the response: see distribution list following:

Subject: Medical Marijuana- A Problem with City Hall

Dear Mayor Watts:

To begin:

I have copied this e-mail to numerous other mayors & Councillors because this is not just a Surrey problem but a national one. I am requesting all of the recipients to comment criticize or point out obstacles to granting my request at the conclusion of this message. I suggest you all pay attention because as soon as I sent this letter it was posted on my blog for all to see.

Medical Marijuana with TheSmeeGoanGuy

Too bad the letter is so long but I’ve got a lot to say and I’ve had my fill of the anti-Medical Marijuana arguments. I am simply pointing out as a lot of stupidity, the failure of local governments to be able to license and control what in effect is a garden to produce a legal crop.

I am a Senior Canadian Citizen, a 20 year Surrey resident, and one of your supporters. I have addressed this to you, because you are my mayor and the only one who can help me in this matter.

Suddenly you have become an enemy. You’re my mayor and after some Googling I find you spouting Garis garbage and that you are fully aware of his Posse Comitatus actions.

Consequently I don’t understand what your position is with regard to Medical Marijuana. Are you in favour of it or are you one of my opponents? I don’t understand where you are coming from or if you can be trusted. It boils down to a “Will you try to help me or not?” question.

I have possessed a License to Possess Marijuana for three years now and suddenly because of Chief Len Garis leading his Marijuana Posse Comitatus in an epidemic of home invasions looking for Grow-ops, my Licensed Designated Grower is going out of business because of fear of a bunch of Len’s goddamned vandals invading his home.

You people have really outdone yourself this time; you are abusing your authority and victimizing one of the best of the very few compassionate growers in Canada. It took me a year and a half to find him because of Health Canada’s obsession with Privacy and Secrecy. He and his wife have been Licensed for seven years and have been the reliable source of very cheap, high quality marijuana for a number of patients, most of whom are now dead. They have a small operation that is a model of technology and efficiency and they have a lot of money invested in providing what is in effect medication for people who can’t afford to, but must, buy it on the street. Those two have more compassion than the whole collective lot of you.

The source of the problem is Health Canada’s failure to provide an easily accessible source of marijuana at a price level within the reach of the people it was designed for. Currently these are now about 10000 people who are sick and tired at the bottom of the income scale. The legal price of $5 a gram was set by Health Canada ten years ago and most Licensees can’t afford that price now. A minimum dose of 1 gram per day costs $150 a month = $1800 a year.  That is very hard pry out of a budget based on Pension Income and Welfare. The maximum pension income (for an old fart on maximum disability) runs about $18000 a year and the poverty line now is about $21000. If you’re young and sick it’s hopeless and welfare.

I have a problem that is the end result of a long crusade by Surrey Fire Chief Garis to purify Canada by eradication of Marijuana Grow-ops. For years he has adamantly opposed the growth of Marijuana on a national scale and has been instrumental in mounting enough pressure to force the Government to conduct a revision of the MARIHUANA MEDICAL ACCESS REGULATIONS

that is currently underway.

I don’t have a problem with what the Harper government is proposing for the majority of the review because whatever they dream up will be overregulated and impossible to implement: Jets and Gaols are prime examples.

 My only problem is that for some strange reason they are proposing the elimination of Class C and D licenses and intend to terminate all Personal and Designated Growth of Marijuana. Henceforth the only legal marijuana is to be from Contracts for the Commercial production and sale of pot. Details to be announced.

Bullshit. Then we are looking at $15 a gram minimum. It’s all about money.

I was fortunate to run across a Health Canada declaration of what they were proposing and their justifications for the review. These are aimed directly at the elimination of all licensed legal growth of Medical Marijuana. They are an almost verbatim regurgitation of Chief Garis 2009 report to the Senate: Combating Canada’s Marijuana Grow Industry- Stronger Penalties and other Deterrents.

These are the hazards found during raids on major drug operations:

1. Criminal crop diversion,
2. Code violations,
3. Fire hazards ,
4. Safety hazards,
5. Threat of home invasion,
6. Public safety,
7. Hazardous to children.

These same elements were stressed over and over and over again. They were the main points made by Charles Momy, President of the Canadian Police Association in his report to justify C-15 and mandatory minimum sentencing for major criminal activities and aggravating factors.

Chief Garis really should apply for a spin doctor job with the Harper team. He is a master at distorting reality to create prejudice. Marijuana was a minor inclusion in his report and address to the Senate did not include much about it. It is a distorted presentation in support at Bill C-15 and mandatory minimums for Major crimes involving gangs, violence, and the drug trade etc. His presentation cited evidence gained from experience not so much as a Fire Chief but rather the biased opinion of a wannabe cop bragging about his record of drug busts with additional elements to add some colour.  What the hell was relevance of somehow linking marijuana to the sex trade and prostitution? None, but it sure grabs your attention.

The Law and Order group have now had their way and passed C-10 and slammed in minimum sentences for growing marijuana in any quantity. The problem for me is that with Chief Garis help the seven main reasons given for the maximum punishment of major criminal activity have suddenly been transformed into the main reasons for the elimination of all Personal and Designated Growth of Medical Marijuana. What evidence does he present over and over in condemnation of Medical Marijuana?”

They were the main points made by Charles Momy! I don’t think these are acceptable reasons. They are plagiarism from an unrelated issue!

Personal and Designated Growth is now the only good provision of the MARIHUANA MEDICAL ACCESS REGULATIONS and it’s worth saving.

Now with Chief Garis help and urging, the Harper government is proposing eliminating it.

That is my problem.

The problem with Chief Garis experience is that every bust he has ever made has been of an illegal Grow-op. There are no legal Medical Marijuana grow-ops in Surrey to bust because of the obstinacy, prejudice and short sighted tunnel vision exhibited by every municipality in this country.

The Chief has no idea what a properly constructed and run  Medical Marijuana Grow Operation even looks like, he’s never seen one.

Surrey is no different than any other municipality that I know of in that there is no way to become legal as a grower. At this point in time I am legally allowed to grow pot in Canada. I am legally allowed to grow pot in British Columbia but in Surrey, my place of residence, my grow-op is illegal.

If Les finds out I have a grow op it doesn’t matter that it is my legal medication or how pure and efficient the grow op is: it’s going to be destroyed and that is totally stupid. It is far better to know that a legal grow op is in operation and that it meets all the Municipal Codes and that it’s no hazard to anyone. If it does there is no problem: but if it does pose a hazard in the least possible way there are serious financial penalties and it’s gone.

PAY ATTENTION. THIS IS MY PROBLEM WITH ALL OF YOU

I have a problem related to the current by-law structure in every municipality in Canada. You mayors are in control of that level of government and I want you to answer one simple question regarding your by-law structure.

To my knowledge there is no way to present my grow op for inspection to any of you, be in complete code compliance and, if I pass, get it approved.

I want to keep my Designated Grower. I want to get him legal, in compliance with Code, and free from an anxiety attack every time the door gets rapped. There is no way to do so. I would like to go to city hall ask for an inspection of a grow op located at xxx address. No way! Inspection is no problem, the facility will pass code but at this point there is no way to ask for approval because the Swat team will have destroyed my crop by the time I get home, the fine already written and handcuffs waiting. Nobody in my circle trusts City Hall, Les, or the cops and there is no reason to do so after the way you currently deal with us.

Mayor Watts, and every mayor copied:

How can I get permission for my Federally Licensed, Provincially permitted growth of Medical Marijuana to take place in your municipality?

I think I have a right to grow it where I reside free from the local vigilantes.

Cut me some slack and provide a way to simply become legal without a lifetime prison record.

Mayor Watts, instead of keeping Les busy beating the bush trying to find grow ops, why don’t you just invite all Licensed growers to turn them selves in?

Call a cease fire, declare an amnesty, and create a way for Licensed Growers to get legal without penalty. If they voluntarily come in, grant them immunity and a 90 day grace period to get up to code. Remember the poverty level of those who you’re dealing with: in exchange for doing so waive any inspection fees or fines for code violation and keep your license fee low for an approval to operate. From our point of view, a $500 license fee is preferable to a $1500 fine for a phoney code violation but with you lot, the fine apparently is more important than simply and amicably eliminating the hazard.

Instead of punishing Licensees by attacking their whole supply and pressing the Government to eliminate all Personal and Designated Growth, why don’t you show some common sense and simply accommodate it. There is no need for Federal involvement in the matter but they created my legal right to grow my supply.  From there on it’s within your power to dictate what I must do to legally grow in your city. When I get my license from Ottawa you can control its safe implementation by requiring that before I do grow anything, I get an inspection, approval and peace of mind from the city. Induce compliance by making this as cheap as possible, and you’re gaining control over a potential hazard to your community and as a bonus you will have one grateful constituent instead of a victim! What goes around comes around. That is common sense.

By copy to all recipients please give me your reaction to the idea.

Does your system in any way accommodate the legal growth of Medical Marijuana?

Yes or No?

Please advise because I can almost guarantee there are some of your people in the same situation as I am. If any of you do have a procedure to legally grow then I intend to spread the word to reach them so they can apply without fear. I also intend to notify those who don’t have any escape clause exactly who is responsible for the omission. This letter has already been posted and follow ups will be posted in my Blog for everybody to see.

 Medical Marijuana with TheSmeeGoanGuy  

Don’t be chicken click on it and find out what’s going on down at the receiving level.

There have been enough Privacy, Secrecy and underhanded tactics to date and unfortunately it’s the exposure of lies that make up most of the blog contents.

I want to save the legal growth of Medical Marijuana. If all of you exercise your authority and take control of legal growth, there is no reason for Mr. Harper to turn all growth into a prison term and maybe he can just for once have pity on the bottom of the food chain. With some collective common sense shown by you, he might back off.

In anticipation of all of your replies

Blaine Barrett

255, 10202-149St.,

Surrey BC V3R 3Z8

The Smee Goan Guy

Distribution:

Surrey Council
Mayor Dianne Watts	Mayor@Surrey.ca
Surrey Council	Councillor Tom Gill
Surrey Council	Councillor Bruce Hayne
Surrey Council	Councillor Linda Hepner
Surrey Council	Councillor Marvin Hunt
Surrey Council	Councillor Mary Martin
Surrey Council	Councillor Barinder Rasode
Surrey Council	Councillor Barbara Steele
Surrey Council	Councillor Judy Villeneuve
BC Mayors
Parksville	cburger@parksville.ca
Pitt Meadows	dwalters@pittmeadows.bc.ca
Whistler	dwango@whistler.ca
Princeton	fthomas@princeton.ca
Nanaimo	john.ruttan@nanaimo.ca
Portalberni	john_douglas@portalberni.ca
Burnaby	mayor.corrigan@burnaby.ca
Abbotsford	mayor@abbotsford.ca
Prince George	mayor@city.pg.bc.ca
Spallumcheen	mayor@spallumcheentwp.bc.ca
Mapleridge	mayorandcouncil@mapleridge.ca
Richmond	mayorandcouncillors@richmond.ca
Delta	mayor-council@corp.delta.bc.ca
Ladysmith	rhutchins@ladysmith.ca
Hope	sjohnston@hope.ca
White Rock	wbaldwin@whiterockcity.ca
New Westminster	wwright@newwestcity.ca
North Vancouver	dmussatto@cnv.org
North Vancouver	rwalton@dnv.org
City Mayors
St. Johns	dokeefe@stjohns.ca
Vancouver	gregor.robertson@vancouver.ca
Ottawa	Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca
Halifax	kellyp@halifax.ca
Victoria	mayor@victoria.ca
Toronto	mayor_ford@toronto.ca
Calgary	themayor@calgary.ca

Press Release

Newspaper	To the Attention of
Halifax Daily News	Newsroom	weekly@hfxnews.ca
St. John's Telegram	Newsroom	telegram@thetelegram.com
Globe and Mail	J. Borra, Executive Editor,	jborra@globeandmail.com
The Kitchener Record	Lynn Haddral,l Editor-in-Chief	lhaddrall@therecord.com
London Free Press	Newsroom	lfp.newsdesk@sunmedia.ca
theprovince	Wayne Moriarty, Editor-in-chief	wmoriarty@theprovince.com
Lethbridge Herald	C. Campbell, General Manager	ccampbell@abnewsgroup.com
Edmonton Journal	L. Chodan - Editor-in-chief	lchodan@edmontonjournal.com
Calgary Herald	Lorne Motley, Editor-in-chief	lmotley@calgaryherald.com
Vancouver Sun	H. Munro, Deputy Managing Editor	hmunro@vancouversun.com
The Georgia Straight	Charlie Smith, Editor	contact@straight.com
The Tyee	David Beers, Editor	editor@thetyee.ca

Strings-Mayors

Mayor@Surrey.ca,

Councillor Tom Gill, Councillor Bruce Hayne, Councillor Linda Hepner,

Councillor Marvin Hunt, Councillor Mary Martin, Councillor Barinder Rasode, Councillor Barbara Steele

Councillor Judy Villeneuve, cburger@parksville.ca, dwalters@pittmeadows.bc.ca, dwango@whistler.ca

fthomas@princeton.ca, john.ruttan@nanaimo.ca, john_douglas@portalberni.ca, mayor.corrigan@burnaby.ca

mayor@abbotsford.ca, mayor@city.pg.bc.ca, mayor@spallumcheentwp.bc.ca, mayorandcouncil@mapleridge.ca

mayorandcouncillors@richmond.ca, mayor-council@corp.delta.bc.ca, rhutchins@ladysmith.ca, sjohnston@hope.ca,

wbaldwin@whiterockcity.ca, wwright@newwestcity.ca, dmussatto@cnv.org, rwalton@dnv.org

dokeefe@stjohns.ca, gregor.robertson@vancouver.ca, Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca, kellyp@halifax.ca

mayor@victoria.ca, mayor_ford@toronto.ca, themayor@calgary.ca

Press

weekly@hfxnews.ca, telegram@thetelegram.com, lhaddrall@therecord.com, lfp.newsdesk@sunmedia.ca,

wmoriarty@theprovince.com, ccampbell@abnewsgroup.com, lchodan@edmontonjournal.com, lmotley@calgaryherald.com,

hmunro@vancouversun.com, contact@straight.com, editor@thetyee.ca