WHITEFISH RIVER FIRST NATION—The community of Whitefish River First Nation (WRFN) is being asked to weigh in on the sale of cannabis products within their territory, following the completion of a “growth of knowledge” report commissioned by the band.
“The Whitefish River chief and council has the well-being of our community as a high priority and we realize that the sale of cannabis products within the community poses an element of risk to the health and well-being of our membership,” said WRFN Chief Rodney Nahwegahbow.
Chief Nahwegahbow noted that on Saturday, August 26 WRFN chief and council passed a band council resolution (BCR) placing a moratorium on the retail sale of cannabis products and further, “that the moratorium shall only be lifted by chief and council and that moratorium remains in effect to this day with WRFN remaining committed to ensuring this is respected.”
WRFN chief and council said it realizes that since the completion of the Growth of Knowledge Cannabis Report for WRFN that began in 2018 was completed, “It has now become our obligation to address this matter at a community level,” noted Chief Nahwegahbow. “A decision to have a community vote was determined as the best method as it impacts the community as a whole.”
The community vote is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 25 at the Whitefish River Community Centre from 8 am to 8 pm.
Chief Nahwegahbow went on to say that, “this community vote will ratify whether our First Nation will proceed with a law allowing the sale of cannabis products or whether our First Nation will prohibit the sale of cannabis products under mechanisms of existing laws and/or band bylaws.”
“Either way, the laws implemented will reflect control of the sale of cannabis or finalize the complete and absolute prohibition,” he continued. “Again, the existing retail cannabis sales moratorium remains in effect until such determination and relevant laws are completed or implemented.”
