Toronto – As the Ford government continues to hide all the details of the secret deal to privatize the province’s cannabis warehouse, OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas is demanding to know what else the Conservatives are hiding from the people.
“The warehouse has become the ‘where house?’” said Thomas. “Ford boasted he was going to usher in a new era of openness and transparency, but the cannabis warehouse scandal is showing us that those boasts are just fake news.
“This is a huge contract with an unnamed company. Hiding the details is a slap in the face to the public, just like their irresponsible rush to privatize the entire cannabis industry,” said Thomas. “Patronage. Corruption. Cover-up. However you describe it, one thing is clear: secret deals aren’t in the best interest of the people. And you have to wonder: what other secret deals are they hiding?”
OPSEU First Vice-President / Treasurer Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida questions the government’s claim that secrecy is necessary.
“This is supposed to be a legitimate business. If they’re worried about theft, they should ensure good security, not keep more secrets,” Almeida said. “Ford told us ‘help is on the way,’ but who’s getting the help? What company was handed the contract? Who owns that company? How much is the contract worth? How long does it last?
“These are basic details that Ontarians have a right to know. It’s outrageous that the Conservatives are continuing to hide them from us. It’s even worse that they’re calling people ‘idiots’ just for asking for basic transparency and accountability.”
Thomas said the secrecy is only adding to the anxiety Ontarians have about the government’s reckless approach to cannabis legalization.
“This is the biggest change to public policy that we’ve gone through in generations,” said Thomas. “People are worried about the safety of their communities and the health of their kids. Secrecy and scandal isn’t helping. What we need instead is an open, transparent, and responsible plan for cannabis sales.”
For more information: Warren (Smokey) Thomas, 613-329-1931