George Smitherman ( @G_Smitherman) of @Cannabis_Canada will take the Virtual #GrowerDay stage in a few moments for his keynote on the state of the Canadian #cannabis industry and how to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. #GrowerDay2020

Smitherman introduces his work as president and CEO of @Cannabis_Canada. "We're trying to grow the cannabis sector responsibly. We want to serve as an important resource as conversations around cannabis continues," he says.

Although cannabis has been legalized, there is a long way to go to "create the conditions where we can build on the successes we've achieved," he says, as the industry tries to expand further in the global market.

"Advocacy is something that, as an industry, we need to be doing more of," says Smitherman. "We need more allies in Members of Parliament in Ottawa." He says it's important for people at the decision making people to connect with the faces and people within the #cannabis industry

"We got the law on our side and broadly speaking, we have the public on our side," says Smitherman. But he adds that we need more policymakers that are sympathetic to driving the cannabis industry forward. "Part of what people forget is that we're still essentially a startup."

"Although we're a startup sector, there's no shortage of competition," he says. Smitherman talks about the headwinds and positives of the industry. "People like our stuff," he says.

Policymakers are beginning to recognize the advantages of the industry. But I'm clear to tell governmental parties to say don't kid yourself that these startup companies will be able to get support from the BDC just because the industry is now operating legally, he says.

"We want to serve also to make sure that Canada fulfills its potential as a leading industry," he says. Smitherman also says he wants to work to bring more legacy people to the legal market.

Smitherman says access plays an important role in reducing the illegal market. "The irony that they've regulated us intensely," he says. "But at the same time, others are perpetuating online sales. We can't even get banking for some retailers." Which is the backbone for retail.

Smitherman says he does commend Health Canada for their support for the #cannabis indsutry. He clarifies that other governmental departments aren't as sympathetic. "A big challenge for us right now is leadership attention at Health Canada during this pandemic," he says.

"We need more Members of Parliament to understand that cannabis means more local jobs," says Smitherman. Politicians will be quite locally focused right now and we should take advantage of this to be seen as an industry that can be "a champion of growth."