UPDATE ON THE CANNABIS ACT //
C-45, if passed will legalize the recreational use of marijuana for Canadians 18yrs and older. It continues to be one of the primary national issues we are tracking because of the widespread ramifications for the next generation in Canada.
Please click here to watch the recent interview Faytene did with Dr. Harold Kalant from the U of T on this issue.
The bill is currently in the Senate and being reviewed by the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology which is chaired by Senator Art Eggleton. It is at this stage in the Senate where amendments can be made to the bill.
Once it has completed this phase it will go back to the floor of the Senate for a vote. If amendments are made at the committee level, and it passes the 3rd reading vote in the Senate, it will then have to return to the House of Commons for a vote.
If the bill passes to law at the federal level it will then be in the hands of the provinces to regulate it. Our provincial legislators will have the power to determine the legal age of possession, penalties for use by minors, where it can be consumed (public or private) and whether people are allowed to grow it in their homes.
We have seen time and time again that when we all do a little; together we can accomplish a lot! Please take a moment to do one or more of these critical action points at this point C-45's timeline.
CURRENT RECOMMENDED ACTION POINTS:
We have seen time and time again that when we all do a little that together we can accomplish a lot! Please take a moment to do one or more of these critical action points at this point C-45's timeline.
1) COMMITTEE SENATORS // Contact Senators on the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, focus on Independent and Liberal Senators and ask them to make amendments to the bill.
Click here to go to the committee page.
ALL E-MAILS LIBERAL AND INDEPENDANT COMMITTEE SENATOR E-MAILS: art.eggleton@sen.parl.gc.ca, judith.seidman@sen.parl.gc.ca, Chantal.Petitclerc@sen.parl.gc.ca, Andre.Pratte@sen.parl.gc.ca, WandaThomas.Bernard@sen.parl.gc.ca, marie-francoise.megie@sen.parl.gc.ca, Ratna.Omidvar@sen.parl.gc.ca, jim.munson@sen.parl.gc.ca
Here is the full contact info for the Independent and Liberal Senators:
SENATOR ART EGGLETON, P.C. // CHAIR
* Province: Ontario (Toronto)
* Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
* Telephone: 613-995-4230
* Email: art.eggleton@sen.parl.gc.ca
SENATOR JUDITH SEIDMAN // DEPUTY CHAIR
* Province: Quebec (De la Durantaye)
* Affiliation: Conservative Party of Canada
* Telephone: 613-992-0110
* Email: judith.seidman@sen.parl.gc.ca
SENATOR CHANTAL PETITCLERC // DEPUTY CHAIR
* Province: Quebec (Grandville)
* Affiliation: Independent Senators Group
* Telephone: 613-995-0298
* Email: Chantal.Petitclerc@sen.parl.gc.ca
SENATOR ANDRÉ PRATTE
* Province: Quebec (De Salaberry)
* Affiliation: Independent Senators Group
* Telephone: 613-995-0300
* Fax: 613-995-0318
* Email: Andre.Pratte@sen.parl.gc.ca
SENATOR WANDA ELAINE THOMAS BERNARD
* Province: Nova Scotia (East Preston)
* Affiliation: Independent Senators Group
* Telephone: 613-996-2090
* Email: WandaThomas.Bernard@sen.parl.gc.ca
SENATOR MARIE-FRANÇOISE MÉGIE
* Province: Quebec (Rougemont)
* Affiliation: Independent Senators Group
* Telephone: 613-996-2357
* Email: marie-francoise.megie@sen.parl.gc.ca
SENATOR RATNA OMIDVAR
* Province: Ontario (Ontario)
* Affiliation: Independent Senators Group
* Telephone: 613-943-4330
* Email: Ratna.Omidvar@sen.parl.gc.ca
SENATOR JIM MUNSON
* Province: Ontario (Ottawa / Rideau Canal)
* Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada
* Telephone: 613-947-2504
* Email: jim.munson@sen.parl.gc.ca
2) ALL SENATORS // Contact all Senators (especially Independent and Liberal) to ask them to vote against C-45 when it comes back to the floor of the Senate for the final readings and votes.
Click here for a full list of Senator e-mails.
Please click here to find your provincial Senators.
Please also copy the following people in your e-mail:
▪ Senator Betty Unger: [betty.unger@sen.parl.gc.ca]
3) PROVINCIAL LEGISLATORS // Contact your MPP or MLA to ask them to regulate marijuana with caution should it pass to law by the Parliament of Canada.
4) MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT // Contact your Member of Parliament to ask them to vote against C-45 if it comes back to the House of Commons for vote after Senate amendments.
Please click here to find your MP by postal code.
5) PRAY AND SHARE // Please join us in praying that bill C-45 and the legalization of cannabis would be delayed. Please pray that many MPs and Senators would disagree with the minimum recommended age and that this age would be increased to the suggested 25 years. Please pray against addiction affecting so many Canadians and especially our youth. Let’s pray for a spirit of revival that would bring real freedom to all those in bondage to addiction to mind-altering substances.
Please also share this information with your friends and family. Here is a shortened link of this e-mail communication that you can post on your Facebook or Twitter if you like: https://bit.ly/2vmYQHT
MAIN CONCERNS ABOUT Bill C-45 THAT YOU CAN INCLUDE IN YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR LEADERS:
▪ The bill's recommended minimum age of use of 18 years whereas experts have suggested the minimum age of 25.
▪ The purpose of the bill is supposedly to protect young people from Cannabis, but Bill C-45 includes a clause stating youth ages 12 to 18 will be able to posses up to five grams of marijuana before being criminally charged.
▪ Bill C-45 would allow up to 4 plants to be grown in each home.
▪ Police forces across Canada have indicated they will be unprepared for legalization by summer 2018.
▪ Legalized marijuana gives young Canadians the message that recreational drug use is permitted and acceptable.
