The federal health minister should amend the 2018 Cannabis Act to recognize First Nations’ right to govern the possession, sale and distribution of cannabis on their lands, a Senate committee says.
In a report tabled Wednesday afternoon, the standing Senate committee on Indigenous Peoples says many problems identified before legalization remain unaddressed, with some First Nations still blocked from the lucrative industry.
The legislative gaps have fuelled the rise of what some call a “red market” operating under First Nations sovereignty but in defiance of federal-provincial regulations, sparking jurisdictional confusion and potential conflicts with authorities.
“For the last 150 years, First Nations have been excluded from economic opportunities
