By Jacqueline St. Pierre Local Journalism Initiative Reporter SUDBURY—The high-profile case involving 10 defendants charged with operating unregulated cannabis stores on Wahnapitae, Henvey Inlet, and Garden River First Nations has entered a critical new phase as trial dates have been scheduled for three weeks in the spring of 2025: the weeks of April 7, April 21 and April 28. This case, which began with a constitutional challenge over four years ago, revolves around the assertion that the legalization of cannabis in 2018 infringes on the defendants’ rights as First Nations people to trade the substance as part of their economic development. The defendants argue that the Cannabis Act and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act violate their rights under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which recognizes and affirms Indigenous…
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