Editor:
Re: City councillor advocating change in medical marijuana laws (April 20 issue of the Grand Forks Gazette)
How strange. Reviewing minutes of council meetings, there is no reference to council passing a motion appointing Coun. Joy Davies to speak on behalf of the entire community with regard to the marijuana issue.
By speaking as a city councillor rather than a private individual, that is what is implied.
While the Union of B.C. Municipalities may have passed some motions (not all) on the marijuana issue, I have yet to see or hear any indication that the B.C. provincial government agrees with the UBCM and has jumped on board this issue.
Until that happens, it is a UBCM/federal government issue. If readers wish to view the marijuana related decisions of UBCM on its website, and resulting provincial and federal government responses, search for resolutions of 2010, resolutions A4, B109, B146, C6 and C7.
The article quotes Davies as stating: “…it is no longer a Grand Forks issue for her as an elected official, it’s a provincial one, which is why she is working on the issue.”
Is this her way of letting people of Grand Forks know she plans on running for a seat in the provincial election, and we are all aware of Brian’s views on marijuana courtesy of the documentary CannaBiz.
The Gazette has published an extensive article promoting Joy Davies’ point of view, and has indicated there will be an additional article providing more of her views. There are many points of view on this highly controversial issue (mayors of Langley and Langley Township, UBCM, federal health ministry, federal justice ministry, Ontario Supreme Court, etc.).
Will the Gazette be providing equal space in its paper to each of these involved parties to put forth their points of view? Unbiased, balanced reporting would be a good thing.
Sylvia Treptow, Grand Forks