Olympian Ross Rebagliati hopes new Liberal government will legalize marijuana

Canadian Olympic snowboarding champ Ross Rebagliati says he looks forward to the new Liberal government fulfilling its promise to legalize marijuana in Canada.

Rebagliati stopped by Aluminum Sound in Winnipeg on Friday afternoon to promote the Ross' Gold Glass product line, which includes glass water pipes, bubblers and a portable vaporizer.

He even showed off a 24-karat gold bong worth more than $24,000.

• OlympicsnowboarderRossRebagliatito brand medical marijuana
• Manitoba government ready to talk about legalizing marijuana

His visit to Winnipeg came as medical marijuana advocates and licensed producers express hope that prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau will fulfil his campaign promise to legalize pot.

"It's a great position for me to be in," Rebagliati told CBC News.

"I mean, to think I can be involved in helping people and sharing the knowledge that I have and a lot of people have about cannabis to the mainstream public.I think it's my responsibility."

Rebagliati is known for winning gold at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan, then being stripped of his medal after testing positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

• CBC ARCHIVES: Ross Rebagliati at the 1998 Nagano Olympics

The International Olympic Committee later reversed its decision since its rules did not explicitly list THC as a banned substance.

Manitoba Attorney General Gord Mackintosh told CBC News on Thursday that the province is ready to talk to Trudeau's government about legalizing marijuana.