FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

22 October 2001

Ottawa: Dr. Keith Martin, Member of Parliament for Esquimalt - Juan de Fuca, praised the Government’s decision to allow his Private Member's Bill C-344, An Act to Amend the Contraventions Act and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (marijuana), to become votable.

The Bill provides for the decriminalization of marijuana by introducing a system of fines for simple possession.

Dr. Martin said, "It is important that the House of Commons debate the issue of decriminalizing marijuana. For far too long, we have wasted the valuable time and resources of law enforcement agencies and the courts on a failed policy of minor drug enforcement. My Bill will save these agencies $150 million every year, and allow us to focus resources on apprehending the drug traffickers, growers and organized crime gangs, while fining those who only possess a small amount of marijuana".

Bill C-344 will come up for debate on November 7th 2001. At that time, Dr. Martin will call for all parties to support the decriminalization of simple marijuana possession.

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For further information, call:

Kerrie Woods at 613-996-2625

Link: Government debate on C-344
http://www.canadianalliance.ca/hotissues/

Mr. Randy White (Langley-Abbotsford, Canadian Alliance) moved:

That a special committee of the House be appointed to consider the factors underlying or relating to the non-medical use of drugs in Canada and make recommendations with respect to the ways or means by which the government can act, alone or in its relations with governments at other levels, in the reduction of the dimensions of the problem involved in such use;

That the membership of the committee be established by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs;

That the Standing Committee report the membership of the special committee to the House within five sitting days after the adoption of this motion;

That substitutions may be made from time to time, if required, in the manner provided for in Standing Order 114(2);

That the committee shall have all of the powers granted to Standing Committees in Standing Order 108; and

That the committee shall present its final report no later that June 1, 2002.

ORDER OF REFERENCE

Extracts from the Journals of the Senate, Thursday, March 15, 2001:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Nolin, seconded by the Honourable Senator Molgat and on the motion in amendment by the Honourable Senator Kenny, seconded by the Honourable Senator Nolin:

That a special committee of the Senate be struck to examine:

The approach taken by Canada to cannabis, its preparations, derivatives and similar synthetic preparations, in context;

The effectiveness of this approach, the means used to implement it and the monitoring of its application;

The related official policies adopted by other countries;

Canada's international role and obligations under United Nations agreements and conventions on narcotics, in connection with cannabis, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other related treaties; and

The social and health impacts of cannabis and the possible consequences of different policies;

That the committee present its final report no later than August 31, 2002; and that the committee retain the powers necessary to publicize its findings for distribution of the study contained in its final report for 30 days after the tabling of that report.