Taylor looks to appeal Pot Decision

T

The420Guy

Guest
The news the Cannabis Research Institute's Brian Taylor got from the
federal government was hardly the sort to bring Christmas cheer.

On Dec. 22 Health Canada announced that it had awarded a contract to a
Saskatoon company, Prairie Plant Systems, to supply marijuana for federal
government studies of the plant's medicinal properties. Taylor's Grand
Forks company was one of many to submit a bid.

The contract is valued at $5,751,250 over a period of five years. The
evaluation committee that looked at the bids included members of the
Agri-Food Canada, the RCMP, the federal public works department and Health
Canada.

Prairie Systems will be setting up its operation in an unused mine shaft
near the town of Flin Flon, Man. The added security of the underground
site, Taylor says, was probably extra incentive for Ottawa to go with the
Saskatchewan-based firm, although he adds that his Cannabis Research
Institute (CRI) did meet the guidelines for security as set out by Health
Canada.

The big problem, according to Taylor, was that the federal government
expected an enormous financial backup in the form of a performance bond.
Specifically, this meant the company could not get the necessary $1-million
letter of credit as was required. As evidence, Taylor points to a letter
he received via fax dated Dec. 28, from the public works department, which
states the company's inability to provide the necessary bond or security
deposit was the factor keeping CRI from meeting all of the necessary
criteria.

"They created a situation where we couldn't get that million-dollar
underwriting," says Taylor.

If not for this clause, he says his company was well-suited as the
marijuana supplier to the federal government. "We had by far the most
comprehensive package."

As it stands, Taylor is looking into how he can appeal the decision,
whether this can be done and who would adjudicate the matter.

Taylor is also planning a return to politics with plans to be the leader of
the provincial Marijuana Party.



Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Wed, 3 Jan 2001
Source: Grand Forks Gazette (CN BC) page 3
Copyright: Sterling Newspapers 2000
Contact: edit_gfgazette@yahoo.com
Address: Box 700, 7330 2nd St., Grand Forks, B.C. V0H 1H0
Fax: 1-250-442-3336
Website: https://www.sterlingnews.com/Forks
Author: Michael Chouinard
 
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