Toronto’s former top cop assigned leading role in marijuana legalization plan. As the Liberal government gets to work on its campaign pledge to legalize marijuana, the former police chief of Toronto will be taking a lead role.
Last month, Bill Blair was named as one of two parliamentary secretaries to the minister of justice. Sources tell CBC News he’s been assigned to handle the pot file.
Blair’s new role fits with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s attempts to frame the issue during the election campaign.
The Conservatives tried to use Trudeau’s legalization stance to paint him as a lightweight or even dangerous, with last-minute ads in Punjabi and Chinese newspapers suggesting Trudeau supported selling marijuana to children.
In contrast, Trudeau pitched marijuana legalization as a way of protecting children and stopping criminals.
Catherine Cullen – CBC News – Jan 08, 2016.