Ottawa never stated July 1 for pot legalization: Goodale

The details are hazy on when Canada will legalize recreational marijuana.

The confusion comes after clips of an interview with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were used to promote its airing on the TVA Network in Quebec Wednesday.

In the teaser clip, reporter Pierre Bruneau asks Trudeau why he’s “so obsessed” with July 1 as the date for the cannabis legislation to become law.

The prime minister then shakes his head, explaining legalization will happen “next summer,” but not July 1. Trudeau added he doesn’t know where the date came from.

In Regina Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said there was a misunderstanding regarding pot legalization.

“A number of people kind of jumped to the conclusion that it was first of July, but it was the summer of next year that was our goal,” Goodale said.

“We didn’t specify an exact date because that will be determined by order in council (cabinet decision) when we get into the summer.”

As for the public safety side of the pot debate, Goodale said a new awareness campaign around marijuana will be rolled out in the winter months.

–With files from the Canadian Press.