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Current Affairs (2009) - Government (3 items)
| Apr 2, 2009 | MP, Dr. Keith Martin Introduces Bill C-359 to Decriminalize Marijuana Possession FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2009
OTTAWA - Today, Dr. Keith Martin, MP introduced a bill in the House of Commons to decriminalize the simple possession of marijuana.
"The 'war on drugs' has been a complete failure. It has not reduced the crime rate, drug use, nor has it saved money or lives. Decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of pot and up to two plants will sever the connection between organized crime and casual users of pot. This bill is bad news for criminal gangs, which are the only beneficiaries of the status quo because it would eliminate demand for their product. As a result this bill will significantly undermine the financial underpinnings of organized crime gangs in Canada," said Dr. Martin.
Under this bill, marijuana possession would still be illegal, but people would receive a fine rather than being passed through the expensive judicial system.
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| Mar 26, 2009 | Bill C-15 could fill Canadian prisons with drug offenders If passed into law, Bill C-15 would, among its other provisions, throw people caught with one marijuana plant into the slammer for a minimum of six months. If growing a single plant is done on a property that belongs to another person or in an area where it may present a hazard to children, minimum jail time is nine months.
Worse, the bill seeks to increase the maximum penalty for this particular offence to 14 years.
See also: www.whyprohibition.ca |
| Feb 3, 2009 | BC Supreme Court Rules in Favour of Medical Marijuana Compassion clubs and other medical marijuana distributors should have restrictions on them lifted, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled on Monday.
To the delight of a packed courtroom in Vancouver, Justice Marvyn Koenigsberg said federal regulations that limit people's access to medicinal cannabis are "constitutionally invalid" and gave the government a year to amend the rules.
The current rules under the federal medical marijuana program limit a supplier from providing marijuana to more than one patient and restrict growers from sharing a common space.
Koenigsberg made the ruling during the trial of Vancouver Island resident Mathew Beren. ...."In my view, it would be contrary to public interest for Mr. Beren to have criminal record," Koenigsberg told the courtroom. "If ever there was a case where an absolute discharge is appropriate, it's this one."
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