Finance minster accuses MHA of having 'illicit drug market' connections during weed debate

The deal between Canopy Growthand the government of Newfoundland and Labrador took centre stage in the House of Assembly on Wednesday and even saw one MHA accuse another of having "some connections with the illicit drug market."

The agreement with Canopy Growth ensures a specific amount of supply, but doesn't give the province first crack at cannabis when it becomes available.

Under the two-year agreement, announced in December with an optional one-year extension, the company will provide up to 8,000 kilograms of cannabis and related products to the province annually. That supply is currently being imported into the province, but the company is in the process of building a production facility in the White Hills area of St. John's.

Within the first few days, stores ran out of product. They have since been restocked, but are once again running low.

Oppositionleader Keith Hutchings has asked repeated questions about the contract since the Housereopened this fall, pointing out that stores have run out product, despite the government having a contract.

On Wednesday, he continued pressing the Liberals on the deal, but the debate took an odd turn when Finance Minister Tom Osborne responded to Hutchings's questions.

"Yes supply has been down. The demand is obviously greater for the product than anybody across the country had anticipated ...We would have been in far worse shape if we didn't have a supply agreement with Canopy Growth," Osborne said.

"Maybe the member opposite [Hutchings] has some connections with the illicit drug market and can show usbetter numbers."

Question period continued, but it was at the end whenHutchingsrose on a point of order and demanded an apology from Osborne.

"I asked a very serious question of the minister of finance. In his response, he referenced the fact [of]I having involvement in illicit drug usein this province,"Hutchingssaid.

"Fora minister of the Crown to stand up and ridicule another member of the House on a serious question. I'm far from perfect I have a wife and family, Ihave two teenagersthat's not acceptable. I ask you to rule on this and put an end to this in this House once and for all," he said to PerryTrimper, Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Osbornewithdrew the comment.

"The member is rightit was out of my character and he didn't deserve that comment and I fully apologize."

Another Canopy-like deal?

Hutchingshad alsoasked Wednesday whether thegovernment is considering similar multimillion-dollar deals with other companies when it comes to cannabis production.

"Absolutely we would look at considering these types of deals for other companies. It makes perfect sense when it comes to developing an industry here in this province. The company is creating all of the jobs and returning the greatest return to treasury. If we didn't have it, we would be importing," said Tourism Minister Christopher Mitchelmore.

Hutchingspressed Mitchelmore about whether Canopy provided any "warranties or guarantees."

Mitchelmore said without the agreement, the province would be "in a very precarious position to provide any of our retailers with products.

"They have agreed to supply us with 8,000 kilograms of cannabis annually not within a week but annually."

With files from Terri Coles

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