The Cannabis Council of Canada (C3) is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul McCarthy as its new president, effective immediately.
Paul has over 20 years of experience in the public sector – splitting this time equally as a public servant and as a senior political advisor – giving him an intimate understanding of how government works. His career has been characterized by policy development through stakeholder engagement on a range of public policy issues, including responsibility for nation-wide consultations on the creation of the first National Housing Strategy (2005).
“There is great potential for the cannabis sector to flourish in Canada. It can contribute to the country’s productivity and provide good-paying, sustainable jobs,” said McCarthy. “That, however, can only be achieved through a reformed regulatory regime and the eradication of the illicit market. I look forward to working collaboratively with government and other stakeholders to make this industry the success story it can be.”
He also has extensive negotiation and agreement management experience, having done so between public entities, Indigenous organizations, and the private and not-for-profit sectors. Such work resulted in being recognized for outstanding public service for managing the British Columbia component of the Infrastructure Stimulus program that saw a total investment of $1.2B to complete 450 projects over a two-year period.
During his time with Veterans Affairs, he led the redesign and enhancement of financial benefits for Canadian Armed Forces veterans, culminating in the Pension for Life. This provided greater financial security for a much larger number of veteran families.
In 2019, he moved into the private sector as Strategic Advisor to the CEO of Canopy Growth Corporation. He subsequently filled roles focused on international market development and corporate policy compliance, as well as heading up the company’s global response to COVID.
Paul currently serves as Vice Chair of Team Rubicon Canada, a veteran-led charitable organization who mobilize responses to natural disasters and humanitarian crises, helping those who have been displaced by these events.
A native of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Paul obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University in Political Science and Business. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and three children.
