Canada’s cannabis sector doesn’t see big changes from new minister

Canada has a new health minister, but the marijuana industry doesn’t expect to see a significant shift in the federal government’s cannabis policy ahead of next year’s launch of recreational MJ.

New Brunswick MP Ginette Petitpas Taylor was named health minister in a cabinet shuffle this week, taking over for Jane Philpott.

In her new role, Taylor will oversee the federal body that regulates the country’s fast-growing medical cannabis sector as well as the rollout of Canada’s legal recreational market next summer.

Cam Battley, a board member of the Cannabis Canada trade association, told Business News Network he expects the new minister to carry the ball across the goal line on recreational legalization, adding, “I don’t expect a change in direction.”

Battley said he’s looking for signals from her “that Canada is going to continue forward and hit that target of July 2018.”

Before entering politics, Taylor was a victim services coordinator for the police.

Taylor told reporters she smoked marijuana on a few occasions in university “and that was it.”