Liberal MP pleads case for legalizing marijuana in Davenport
by Rahul Gupta
Graduate student Marcia Garnes
addresses Liberal MP Bill Blair during a town hall on the Canadian
government's marijuana legalization plan Tuesday, March 13 at J.J.
Piccininni Community Centre. - Rahul Gupta/Metroland
The main architect of the federal government’s plan for marijuana made his case for legalizing the drug this week in Davenport.
Bill Blair, tasked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to oversee new legislation making small amounts of marijuana legal for personal use, said legal weed will prevent the criminalization of large numbers of youth who habitually consume the drug. Some 30 per cent of youth and young adults in this country say they use marijuana on a regular basis.
While Blair stressed the social harms of marijuana and its health implications, he said thousands of young Canadians are needlessly having their futures compromised by criminal convictions for simple possession.
“What we are saying is we don’t want to lock up kids for using marijuana, but restrict its access,” said Blair, Toronto’s former police chief and now a Liberal MP, during a town hall hosted by Davenport MP Julie Dzerowicz Tuesday, March 13 at J.J. Piccininni Community Centre. “Lifting the prohibition will allow for the implementation of strict regulation.”
The federal government could stand to reap a large windfall from legal marijuana revenue – illegal weed currently generates some $20 million a day for organized crime – but Blair insisted the intention of the new legislation isn’t just to create a new taxable revenue stream, but to regulate it safely and effectively.
Some 75 per cent of all revenue from legal weed will flow back to the province and municipalities, and Blair promised investments in training as well as public health campaigns about the health risks from consuming cannabis.
“Don’t get caught up in the dollar signs,” he said. “This is about protecting kids.”
While the federal legalization will set regulatory standards for legal cannabis producers, as well as introduce new criminal offences for anyone selling weed to minors, it will be left to provinces and municipalities to determine how best to implement and enforce the new law.
Tyler James was concerned Black youth in particular could face misunderstanding and arrest for using weed – even when it’s legalized – without proper law enforcement training.
“Any measures an individual can rely on for protection (from the law) is very much after the fact when they’re in the throes of the court process,” said James who was speaking on behalf of the advocacy group Sensible Ontario, which wants to see cannabis sold in private establishments.
“Proper police training and protocol could reduce or eliminate instances where an individual faces a legal reprisal.”
Bill Blair, tasked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to oversee new legislation making small amounts of marijuana legal for personal use, said legal weed will prevent the criminalization of large numbers of youth who habitually consume the drug. Some 30 per cent of youth and young adults in this country say they use marijuana on a regular basis.
While Blair stressed the social harms of marijuana and its health implications, he said thousands of young Canadians are needlessly having their futures compromised by criminal convictions for simple possession.
“What we are saying is we don’t want to lock up kids for using marijuana, but restrict its access,” said Blair, Toronto’s former police chief and now a Liberal MP, during a town hall hosted by Davenport MP Julie Dzerowicz Tuesday, March 13 at J.J. Piccininni Community Centre. “Lifting the prohibition will allow for the implementation of strict regulation.”
The federal government could stand to reap a large windfall from legal marijuana revenue – illegal weed currently generates some $20 million a day for organized crime – but Blair insisted the intention of the new legislation isn’t just to create a new taxable revenue stream, but to regulate it safely and effectively.
Some 75 per cent of all revenue from legal weed will flow back to the province and municipalities, and Blair promised investments in training as well as public health campaigns about the health risks from consuming cannabis.
“Don’t get caught up in the dollar signs,” he said. “This is about protecting kids.”
While the federal legalization will set regulatory standards for legal cannabis producers, as well as introduce new criminal offences for anyone selling weed to minors, it will be left to provinces and municipalities to determine how best to implement and enforce the new law.
Tyler James was concerned Black youth in particular could face misunderstanding and arrest for using weed – even when it’s legalized – without proper law enforcement training.
“Any measures an individual can rely on for protection (from the law) is very much after the fact when they’re in the throes of the court process,” said James who was speaking on behalf of the advocacy group Sensible Ontario, which wants to see cannabis sold in private establishments.
“Proper police training and protocol could reduce or eliminate instances where an individual faces a legal reprisal.”
While welcoming legalization, Stephanie DiGiuseppe questioned
introducing it before key concerns are addressed, particularly on the
issue of pardoning individuals with past criminal convictions for
possession of marijuana.
“Legalization has to happen because people are being harmed in a very real way through the prosecution of cannabis,” said Stephanie DiGiuseppe, a criminal defence lawyer and advocate for Cannabis Amnesty. “Obviously we want it to happen in a way that’s quick but also equitable.”
Dzerowicz defended the timeline for legalization, saying the new law comes after years of research and public consultations.
This isn’t about how we rush this, it’s about how we legalize cannabis responsibly,” said Dzerowicz.
“We went to doctors, police chiefs, public educators, people right across the country. “The timeline is ambitious, and I don’t think everything will go smoothly (upon legalization), and we have to be prepared to work out the kinks as quickly as possible.”
Legislation for legalizing marijuana and regulating its production and sale is currently before the Senate for second reading and is expected to be sent back to the House of Commons for final assent before the end of June. It will likely take another eight to 12 weeks before legal weed is available for consumption.
Despite wide reporting of a possible implementation date of July 1, Blair said there is no intention to unveil the new legislation on Canada Day.
“I went to the prime minister and said it can’t be July 1, and he agreed,” he said.
“Legalization has to happen because people are being harmed in a very real way through the prosecution of cannabis,” said Stephanie DiGiuseppe, a criminal defence lawyer and advocate for Cannabis Amnesty. “Obviously we want it to happen in a way that’s quick but also equitable.”
Dzerowicz defended the timeline for legalization, saying the new law comes after years of research and public consultations.
This isn’t about how we rush this, it’s about how we legalize cannabis responsibly,” said Dzerowicz.
“We went to doctors, police chiefs, public educators, people right across the country. “The timeline is ambitious, and I don’t think everything will go smoothly (upon legalization), and we have to be prepared to work out the kinks as quickly as possible.”
Legislation for legalizing marijuana and regulating its production and sale is currently before the Senate for second reading and is expected to be sent back to the House of Commons for final assent before the end of June. It will likely take another eight to 12 weeks before legal weed is available for consumption.
Despite wide reporting of a possible implementation date of July 1, Blair said there is no intention to unveil the new legislation on Canada Day.
“I went to the prime minister and said it can’t be July 1, and he agreed,” he said.
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