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Canadian Convenience Store Chain Lobbies to Sell Cannabis

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Picking up cannabis at a local convenience store could soon become the “new normal” in Canada. Alimentation Couche-Tard, a convenience store chain, is familiar to most residents across Quebec. The franchise has hired a lobbyist to get the company’s foot into the door of the cannabis distribution system in Quebec.

According to the province’s official registry of lobbyists, Marie-Ève Bédard has been authorized to lobby on behalf of Couche-Tard through May 2018. Bédard is a former chief of staff to ex-Quebec health minister Yves Bolduc and a PR firm Tact Intelligence-conseil. Bédard will earn less than $10,000 a year for her work.

Couche-Tard has opened over 2,000 storefronts across Canada. As of January 29, the company’s extended network included 8,081 convenience stores in North America and under licensing agreements, 1,700 stores operate under the Circle K banner. Selling cannabis, a company spokesperson said, would be no different than selling liquor or cigarettes. “Alimentation Couche-Tard has a long history of selling tobacco and alcohol, products that minors are prohibited from buying and that raise public-health issues,” Marie-Noelle Cano told The Star.

The Quebec government announced that it will begin a series of consultations shortly in preparation for the implementation of local cannabis legislation this fall. An expert forum will begin on June 19 with advice from psychiatrists and skeptics. The consultations will begin on August 21 and run through September 21. Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois indicated that he rejects the idea of selling cannabis in liquor stores, but added that everything will be on the table.

Last April, the Canadian government introduced legislation that would allow adults 18 and over to consume cannabis. Federal bill C-45 is intended to legalize cannabis by July 1, 2018. Individual provinces will have power over how cannabis is distributed. Couch-Tard is willing to serve as the sales model for the rest of the province.

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