Matt Maurer speaks to the Ottawa Citizen about a First Nation dispensary eligible for provincial cannabis retailer license

“(Politicians) basically said if you don’t shut down your store before Oct. 17 (2018) you will never get a licence,” says Matt Maurer, a Toronto lawyer specializing in cannabis policy. “But if you do, anything’s possible.”

The AGCO has latitude to deny licences based on a “good character” clause, he says. “If they feel you are not of good character, or honest or trustworthy to run a store, they can deny a licence.”

He expected the government would have directed the AGCO to deny licences to illegal shop owners who ignored the government’s warning to close.

“You could use the lack of good character (clause), essentially telling them, ‘We told you that this was unacceptable. You decided not to listen to the provincial government. Therefore why should we give you a licence when you may not listen to the provincial government again in the future?

“That’s how I expected it would play out.”

This article was originally published on the Ottawa Citizen. Visit the the Ottawa Citizen website to read the complete article.