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Cannabis industry veteran Paul McCarthy has been appointed president of the Cannabis Council of Canada, the country’s largest industry-supported lobby group.
In a news release, Cannabis Council of Canada, also known as C3, said McCarthy brings a “profound understanding of government workings and policy” to the organization.
McCarthy’s appointment comes approximately one month after George Smitherman, C3’s longtime executive director, stepped down.
His appointment is effective immediately.
McCarthy brings more than two decades of public sector experience to C3, both as a public servant and senior political adviser, including:
- Policy adviser to the minister of industry.
- Senior policy adviser to the minister of labor, housing and homelessness.
- Senior policy analyst, Infrastructure Canada.
- Director of policy for the minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defense.
McCarthy also worked for Canopy Growth, a licensed producer of cannabis, for just over three years starting in early 2019, according to his public LinkedIn profile.
His last positions at Canopy were head of corporate policy and head of international implementation.
“There is great potential for the cannabis sector to flourish in Canada,” McCarthy said in a statement.
“It can contribute to the country’s productivity and provide good-paying, sustainable jobs. That, however, can only be achieved through a reformed regulatory regime and the eradication of the illicit market.
“I look forward to working collaboratively with government and other stakeholders to make this industry the success story it can be.”
McCarthy already has a lot on his plate at C3.
Industry will be watching Canada’s federal budget closely for signs of support when it’s released April 16.
MJBizDaily recently reported that Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was warned last fall about systemic “financial distress” facing the country’s cannabis producers, including skyrocketing tax debt and widespread insolvencies.
According to the report, obtained through an access-to-information request and shared with MJBizDaily, “It remains the case that after five years of legalization, there are no licensed producers of legal cannabis products that are consistently profitable.”
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