✔︎ C-45 (Cannabis Act)

Bill

C-45: An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts.

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our Government. The current approach to cannabis does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit, while failing to keep cannabis out of the hands of Canadian youth. In many cases, it is easier for our kids to buy cannabis than cigarettes or a bottle of beer. That is why our Government, after extensive consultation with law enforcement, health and safety experts, and the hard work of the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, has introduced legislation to legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to cannabis.

Result

Passed.

Open Letter: Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis

Dear residents of Cloverdale - Langley City,

On April 13, 2017, the Minister of Justice tabled Bill C-45, which calls for the legalization and strict regulation of cannabis.

This proposed legislation is the culmination of months of work by the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, which heard from hundreds of experts in many fields – including health, public safety, justice, and law enforcement – and over 30,000 Canadians before the bill came before Parliament.
 
What Bill C-45 recognizes is that the current system of outright prohibition of cannabis simply doesn’t work:

• It has allowed criminals and organized crime to illegally profit, while failing to keep cannabis out of the hands of Canadian youth.
• It is easier for our kids to buy marijuana than cigarettes, a situation that thousands of Canadians – including many from Cloverdale-Langley City – clearly told us was unacceptable.

We know we can do better.

Our plan will therefore create a framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada. We will also invest in a strong public awareness campaign so that Canadians are well informed about the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis.
 
While the proposed legislation has set the lowest allowable age of majority for the sale of marijuana to be 18, the provinces will ultimately decide the age at which it may be legally purchased. In the weeks and months ahead, our Government will continue to consult with the provinces, territories, municipalities, and our Indigenous partners who share with us the responsibility for implementing cannabis legalization and regulation.
 
Recognizing that impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada, our Government has also introduced legislation that would reform the entire impaired driving regime in the Criminal Code. It would strengthen existing drug and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences, making the law easier to enforce, as well as simpler, more coherent and efficient.
 
This legislation makes Canada a global leader by taking an evidence-based, public health approach to the legalization and strict regulation of cannabis.

I look forward to further engaging with the constituents of Cloverdale-Langley City to develop creative solutions that help address our community’s needs and keeping our youth safe.

Sincerely,

John Aldag
Member of Parliament for Cloverdale-Langley City