Few hints on Manitoba pot policy from legalization update at Tory annual meeting

Manitoba Justice Minister Heather Stefanson played the government's cards close to her chest Friday during a policy update on cannabis at the provincial Progressive Conservative Party's annual general meeting.

Premier Brian Pallister has promised an "exciting announcement" next week to reveal details of the province's plans to prepare for upcoming federal legislation to legalize the drug, which the federal government has said it wants passed by July 2018.

During her brief update to a roomful of PC members and MLAs, Stefansonreiterated government priorities of road safety, keeping marijuana away from children and diverting profits from gangs and the black market.

But she didn't hint at whether the province would choose apublic or private distribution model, or provide detail on the results of a provincialexpression of interest to test the market. That expression of interest closed in September.

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"We had a number of interested stakeholders that came forward in our expression of interest, and we take that very seriously,"Stefansontold reporters after her presentation.

"So again, we'll look forward to the details of this coming out very soon."

'Outstanding questions'

Stefanson also repeated qualms about Ottawa's "arbitrary deadline" of getting legislation passed by next summer, which Premier Brian Pallister has criticizedand made a request to extend.

She pointed to concerns raised by theCanadian Association of Chiefs of Police that the deadline won't give police services time to get ready to enforce new laws.

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"Even as we're taking a proactive approach to this issue, there remain far too many outstanding questions and concerns," she said.

"Frankly, the federal government has not come to the table with policy clarity and thefinancial resources necessary to get this right."