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Canada: Cannabis coming off crime books

Janice Tibbetts

The Ottawa Citizen, Canada

Tuesday 10 Dec 2002

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Justice minister to seek decriminalization in new year

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon said yesterday he intends to press ahead
early next year with legislation to decriminalize marijuana so that
people caught with small amounts won't face a criminal record.

"If we talk about the question of decriminalizing marijuana, we may move
ahead quickly as a government," Mr. Cauchon said outside the House of
Commons.

"I don't like to give you a date, but let's say the beginning of next
year. Give me the four first months of next year."

After contemplating the prospect for months, the comments yesterday were
the first indication that Mr. Cauchon has made a final decision.

However, the minister stressed that, formally, he is still awaiting a
final recommendation from a House of Commons committee on drug use. The
committee will tell the minister on Thursday that possession of small
amounts of marijuana should be decriminalized.

"I don't think I've ever really hidden my position," said Mr. Cauchon,
40, who has confessed to smoking cannabis in his youth.

"I think most Canadians know where I stand, but I'm part of a
parliamentary process that I must respect."

The committee will recommend that Canadians caught with less than 30
grams of cannabis -- roughly the amount that fits in a small sandwich
bag -- should be given a fine akin to a parking ticket rather than be
criminally charged, sources have told Global TV's news program, Global
National.

Currently in the Criminal Code, a person caught with small amounts of
marijuana can be jailed for up to six months and receive a fine of
$1,000.

The committee's recommendation is more conservative than one made in
August by a Senate committee, which said marijuana should be outright
legalized.

Mr. Cauchon has rejected legalization, saying that society still
believes that the possession of the drug should carry some sort of
penalty.

He has not revealed where he will draw the line between criminal and
non-criminal behaviour, but he has said that trafficking will remain a
serious criminal offence.

Solicitor General Wayne Easter says that he is taking no public position
on whether marijuana should be decriminalized. Rather, he will go along
with whatever Mr. Cauchon decides to do.

The Canadian Police Association is strongly opposed to taking possession
out of the criminal record books and the organization wants Mr. Easter
to take a more aggressive stand.

Mr. Cauchon has said that the current system, in which police in some
provinces lay charges while others do not, might not be working as it
should.

 

 

 

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