The Canadian cannabis enthusiast most likely won’t be able to make their legal adult use purchase on July 1 this year. Most Canadians thought the legalization of recreational marijuana would take effect on Canada’s 151st Birthday.
Cannabis entrepreneurs and their patrons have to stand by a little bit longer as the anticipated date for legal adult use cannabis sales is still not set and not expected before early August this year.
CBC News reported that Federal lawmakers still have to come to a consensus on determining if the legislation can be followed through on or before the first week of June.
Ginette Petitpas-Taylor, Canada’s Health Minister stated that the act would take eight to twelve weeks after it is given the green light. She added that it is the estimated time to build the system for retail operatoins after the act earns royal assent.
The delay was purported because of the senior legislators of the Canadian Senate. Although they do not reflect the view and opinion of the general public in terms of demographics, they still managed to impede the enactment of the bill.
These senators were not elected through the vote of the people, rather, they were appointed by the Governor General with the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
Its representatives receive a yearly $147,700 salary and are still allowed to have other jobs, manage and own their own private businesses, and collect fees on public speaking appearances.
These unelected members of the upper house can’t be removed by the voting public during election time unlike the members of the Parliament. The Senators can keep their rewarding jobs if they aren’t sued with any criminal cases or until they reach the age of 75. Another perk of their position is that they won’t face any political consequences as a result of the public outcries.
They will still review Bill C-45, commonly known as Canada’s Cannabis Act until June 7.
The resolution to extend the scrutiny and review of the marijuana-regulation bill holds back Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pre-election promise that marijuana will be fully-legalized for adult use by July.
Longer delays can still happen if the Senate suggests amendments along the way.
Meanwhile, some investors have purchased cannabis stocks, business owners have borrowed cash, and most Canadian provinces have prepared and started creating the regulatory regimes to meet the anticipated customer traffic by July.
27 months after Trudeau became the Prime Minister, unelected members of the Senate are still indecisive and still hasn’t done major developments in the matter.
Another curious thing is in 2002, a committee on illegal drugs commissioned by the Canadian Senate published a report in relation to the topic of marijuana legalization after extensively examining the subject.
The paper they disclosed recommended a licensing system for the production of cannabis with less than 13 percent THC content.
The report “Cannabis: Our Position for A Canadian Public Policy”, a 55-page publication also suggested an amnesty program to those who were caught and got convicted because of marijuana.
Consecutive federal authorities ignored the recommendation. With this, the system for licensing and the pardon that could be given to the individuals with minor charges are tossed out into the bin.
17,733 individuals in Canada were prosecuted for cannabis possession in Justin Trudeau’s first year as prime minister. The lives of the 17,733 people charged were profoundly afflicted because the chosen and the appointed officials from the Canadian government are unable to do something to condone the marijuana users when even Trudeau confessed that he did it in the past when he was younger.
Earlier this year (2018), Ralph Goodale, the Public Safety Minister told the media that the Canadian authority is planning an amnesty program for the possession of cannabis. He was unable to give a definitive date or any other details regarding this matter.
The Senate Committee also made recommendations in 2002 that amends the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This move permits the farming and harvesting of the cannabis plant for personal use.
Unfortunately, the recommendation only saw the light and was finally passed in 2015. This gives the right for Canadian’s to grow marijuana for medicinal reasons. A great win for the long and costly court trials they fought.
But there doesn’t seem to have any urgencies in the country’s unelected upper house as some of the members shelve their duties of reviewing the legislation by still working on private corporate boards. Which also creates some questionable queries as one of their tasks as Senators are passing and implementing sanctions that may affect corporate Canada.
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