The head of OPSEU is challenging Premier Doug Ford to publicly debate his plans to have private retailers sell cannabis next year.
Smokey Thomas says he's calling the premier out on rejecting Liberal plans for publicly-sold cannabis. He spoke with AM800's Patty Handysides on The Afternoon News.
Thomas says the group isn't totally opposed to what was going to happen.
"We actually endorsed him like the Liberal model, through a cannabis control board operated by the LCBO," says Thomas. "I recognize there could have been more than 40-stores, in fact, most of those stores were ready to open but they closed them all. They won't disclose how much they spent getting ready."
we'll take cannabis, but we want it distributed in a more socially responsible manner," he says. "That's really what we're pushing for now."
"Hold on Doug [Ford], we don't like your plan, we want a public option as well. So, if you want to have a private store, they say two have already opted out, I won't disclose who they are, and I know a few others thinking about opting out," he says. "If they want to opt out of the private model, the default position should be a public model."
Thomas is head of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, calling for a debate with the Premier on plans to sell cannabis through private retailers.
He's reached out to Premier Doug Ford several times expressing concern the private sector can't be trusted to sell the product like those working under the current LCBO model.
Legalization starts online on Oct. 17 - municipalities have the right to opt out of private sales until Jan. 22 of 2019.
— with files from AM800's Patty Handysides