Canadian Craft Cannabis Company Pasha Brands Elevates Longtime Advocate
When a major milestone is met, there were many small and big steps along the way that helped forge that path forward, and cannabis policy reforms are certainly no different. When Canada shook the world by becoming the first G7 nation to legalize cannabis commerce, it took a virtual army of advocates to put in the work at the local, provincial, and federal level to educate the general public, elected officials, and policymakers on the benefits of ending cannabis prohibition. One of the generals of Canada’s activist army has been Jamie Shaw, a frequent presenter and moderator at the International Cannabis Business Conference. Shaw is continuing her important work by assisting Pasha Brands, Canada’s leading craft cannabis brand organization, as the company’s Chief Communications and Culture Officer. Jamie has put in both heralded and unheralded work over the past two decades, as the Georgia Straight covered in an illuminating article, reporting that:
Long before she served as an expert witness in the landmark case that saw a federal judge rule that Canadians have a constitutional right to grow their own medical marijuana, it was the unexpected advice of a doctor that led Jamie Shaw to visit a compassion club for the first time.
The lobbyist, writer, and communications expert has spent almost 20 years in the cannabis industry, working to create more streamlined access to marijuana, both locally and nationally. Seated across from the Straight at a West Broadway cafe, Shaw remembers the day she tried to keep a straight face when her doctor said pot might be the solution to what she was experiencing at the time.
Canada has given its companies huge advantages over international competition, by craft companies face major obstacles in an age of big business and consolidation. Pasha Brands helps provides an avenue for craft cannabis companies to tell their story and establish their place in the market so they can survive and thrive. With hires like Jamie Shaw, Pasha is certainly doing what it can to elevate Canadian craft cannabis to higher levels. Looking forward to hearing from Shaw and other Canadian cannabis industry experts at the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Vancouver this September 15th-16th.
Pasha Brands press release announcing its Shaw’s role with the company:
Jamie Shaw Takes Reigns as Chief Communications and Culture Officer at Craft Cannabis Organization Pasha Brands
VANCOUVER, BC (June 13, 2019) – Pasha Brands Ltd. (“Pasha“) (CSE: CRFT), Canada’s largest organization of craft cannabis brands, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jamie Shaw as its new Chief Communications and Culture Officer.
Shaw brings decades of experience in management, messaging, and organizing in the cannabis and multimedia industries to her role at Pasha. Both effective and disruptive in her advocacy, she is the only court-certified expert in the dispensary industry in Canada, and was an expert witness in the Allard trial that won patients the right to grow for themselves. Shaw also successfully lobbied for dispensary regulations in Vancouver, Victoria, and other Canadian municipalities under prohibition, and has consulted at length with all levels of government on cannabis regulations. In addition to Shaw’s extensive experience in the cannabis space, her transferable skillsets from years as a business owner and professional in the performing arts and creative industries make her invaluable to Pasha.
“In my role as Chief Communications and Culture Officer, I hope to assist Pasha in cultivating company-, industry-, and nation-wide respect for the growers, patients, and activists that got us here. I think its crucial to acknowledge the role civil disobedience has played—not just with legalization, but in all the other vital ways it has changed our world for the better,” Shaw said.
“I’m really excited to be embarking on this journey with a team of intelligent, passionate people that are united in their desire to bring the growers and products responsible for British Columbia’s rich cannabis history and reputation for quality back into the limelight.”
Shaw is a founding partner of Groundwork Consulting, a co-author of the first Lift & Co. Retail Cannabis Training Course, a cannabis career training instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and sits on various boards and advisory committees, including the BC Independent Cannabis Association.
“From my perspective, the value Jamie brings to Pasha and BC Craft Supply Co. is immeasurable. Most cannabis and brand houses couldn’t possibly find someone like Jamie to run culture and communications,” said Patrick Brauckmann, Executive Chairman of Pasha Brands.
“I’m thrilled that Jamie has chosen to bring her passion and knowledge of both cannabis and culture to Pasha. Her understanding and respect for the original cannabis industry, along with her love of history has given her a unique lens with which to see how inappropriate laws and backwards-thinking people have ruined lives on so many levels.”
Shaw’s ability to simultaneously advocate for change and work within a shifting regulatory landscape has helped numerous applicants from the pre-legal markets see their way through municipal, provincial, and federal licensing. Having worked at the leadership level with clients and companies including Indigenous Bloom, MMJ Canada, the BC Compassion Club Society, and the former Canadian Association of Medical Dispensaries, Shaw has established herself as Canada’s formidable expert when it comes to restructuring organizations and liaising with regulators in the cannabis space. Her deep understanding of legislation at all levels of government is sure to be an asset to Pasha and its brands.
The wealth of knowledge and experience Shaw brings will not only help to elevate craft cannabis in Canada, but also bring a unique side of the industry to create a strong platform that benefits craft growers, consumers, and shareholders.
