Forget pipelines (built or unbuilt); forget global warming (“climate change” is an anti-conceptual term used to obfuscate the scientific challenges to global warming hypotheses); forget “free trade deals” negotiated by governments (which frustrate rather than free trade); forget problems with Saudi Arabia (diplomatic relations and now, the Khashoggi affair); forget all the economic and political promises made by the Liberal government in Canada, for what really matters is one big election platform promise that prime minister Trudeau and the Liberals delivered: legalization of cannabis.

The awareness of this fact is palpable across Canada. Commentary and media coverage is so intense that even important issues like the activist court decisions regarding the Kinder Morgan pipeline are all but forgotten.

The recent UN IPCC dire “warnings” have agitated the parliament but it seems like nobody cares, not even the Green Party (many of the environmentalists may be on a natural “high” so aren’t paying attention).

Christia Freeland has commented on the Khashoggi affair, but that’s because she’s freed from the heady negotiations regarding managed trade among the US, Canada and Mexico. Her comments added nothing however, so again nobody cares.

What everybody cares about, if media coverage is any indication, is that they’ll be able to legally buy cannabis from licensed retailers and smoke their brains out on 17 October.

Everywhere there is heightened awareness of this issue. Street signs remind us that driving “high” is the same as impaired driving, the determining criteria for which keep lowering to the point where a 200 pound man who has a glass of wine with dinner may risk losing his driving privileges.

State media (CBC) has regular news items related to the many anticipated problems with the rollout of legal cannabis, as well as special programs examining specific issues related.

So what’s it all about? The election promises were focused on eradicating the black market and limiting access to cannabis by children. I’ll predict this objective will not be satisfactorily met. Users with reliable black market supply are not likely to change, particularly because the regulations and licensing requirements will push up the prices for “legal” supply.

As for the kids, only good parenting and an education system focused on conceptual development will encourage the maturation of independent thinkers who understand that consciousness-altering drugs are inimical to a flourishing life.

But, let’s not have anything detract from this political “achievement.” If Canadians base their assessment of the current government on its allowing them to legally render themselves unconscious then they deserve what they get.

Edward’s