At least one of three Saskatchewan First Nations eligible for a cannabis retail permit is still weighing its decision to sell marijuana once it’s legalized.
Chief of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, Peter Beatty, said he’s still not clear on the details of how private sales would work on reserve land. He said the First Nation has yet to receive consultation from the province.
“Are they looking at Peter Ballantyne as one community? When in actual reality we're eight communities. How is it going to work? Are we going to be collecting tax rebate on reserves? We haven't clarified that question,” Beatty said. “That might be something Sask. finance has to answer to and there's a whole host of things we need to clarify.”
The Cree Nation is meeting with elders and community members next week, according to Beatty.
Both the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and Onion Lake Cree Nation, a dry community, are also eligible for cannabis retail permits because they meet the province’s population requirement of at least 2,500. Neither community responded to CTV News’ request for comment.
Communities eligible for the permits will be given until March 15 to confirm to the province their intentions to proceed with the application process.
