CANADA LEGALIZES POT On October 17th Canada officially got into the pot business. With the implementation of Canadian legislation, known as the Cannabis Act, which stems from a campaign pledge of Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau to keep marijuana away from underage users and curb marijuana-related crime. The new act goes into effect even as health care profes- sionals in Canada have expressed concerns regarding the legalizing of marijuana and the effects that it can have on the health of those wanting to use the drug. The Canadian government has put into place stringent rules that will govern the purchase and use of marijuana. In addition to usage, the government also made changes to impaired driving laws to address repercussions for driving under the influence of cannabis. Many ask why Canada would legalize cannabis, well the industry is expected to create an industry worth more than $4 billion in Canada and with Trudeau’s government spending and huge deficits this is a welcome revenue stream for the government.
USMCA WILL ALSO AFFECT WHAT YOU WATCH ON TV Canada’s new trade pact with the U.S. and Mexico may make trade freer between the three countries, but that freedom will not apparently extend to NFL fans in Canada that want to watch American Super Bowl ads during the big game. In a section of the agreement governing the trade in services, Canadian officials agreed to abandon a recent Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Com- mission rule that forced whichever Canadian network held the rights to broadcast the Super Bowl to show the original U.S. ads on them, and not replace them with Canadian ones. The new USMCA trade agreement is an unexpected win for broadcasters like Bell, by pledging to scrap that CRTC rule, but a loss to viewers of these major sporting events in Canada that will now have to sit through local ads during commercial breaks.
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • OCTOBER 2018
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