willieboy
Well-Known Member
From the National Post...............
UPDATED FEBRUARY 6, 2018
Federal officials are predicting the legalization of cannabis will only occur two to three months after Bill C-45 is adopted by Parliament, in order to ensure a smooth transition to an open market for the recreational drug.
Officially, the government is still aiming to legalize cannabis by July 1. However, to achieve that target, the legislation would need to be passed by Parliament by May 1 at a minimum, which is an unlikely event based on the current pace of the Senate's work.
The looming delay is set to be announced later on Tuesday when the federal ministers of Health, Justice and Public Safety appear in front of a special session of the Senate to defend their plans to lift the 95-year-old prohibition on cannabis.
Government officials said the actual timetable remains in flux, given the need to pass Bill C-45, implement new regulations and ensure that the industry is ready to comply with the complex requirements.
According to Bill C-45, the date on which cannabis is legalized will be determined by the governor-in-council (in the form of a cabinet decision) after the legislation receives royal assent.
"In practical terms, it can take between eight to 12 weeks," said a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the ministers' appearance in front of the Senate.
A number of senators, in addition to provincial officials and law-enforcement authorities, have called for delays in the implementation of legalization to ensure that they are ready from the outset. On Monday, the B.C. government announced that its first standalone government stores are only expected to be selling cannabis by "late summer," meaning they will not be ready by July 1.
Federal officials have told The Globe and Mail that the three ministers, in addition to parliamentary secretary Bill Blair, want to reassure senators that the transition will be done in a "responsible and orderly fashion."
The exact timing for the legalization of cannabis depends on the speed with which the Senate studies and adopts C-45. Any amendment to the proposed legislation would send the bill back to the House of Commons, which could delay its adoption.
UPDATED FEBRUARY 6, 2018
Federal officials are predicting the legalization of cannabis will only occur two to three months after Bill C-45 is adopted by Parliament, in order to ensure a smooth transition to an open market for the recreational drug.
Officially, the government is still aiming to legalize cannabis by July 1. However, to achieve that target, the legislation would need to be passed by Parliament by May 1 at a minimum, which is an unlikely event based on the current pace of the Senate's work.
The looming delay is set to be announced later on Tuesday when the federal ministers of Health, Justice and Public Safety appear in front of a special session of the Senate to defend their plans to lift the 95-year-old prohibition on cannabis.
Government officials said the actual timetable remains in flux, given the need to pass Bill C-45, implement new regulations and ensure that the industry is ready to comply with the complex requirements.
According to Bill C-45, the date on which cannabis is legalized will be determined by the governor-in-council (in the form of a cabinet decision) after the legislation receives royal assent.
"In practical terms, it can take between eight to 12 weeks," said a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the ministers' appearance in front of the Senate.
A number of senators, in addition to provincial officials and law-enforcement authorities, have called for delays in the implementation of legalization to ensure that they are ready from the outset. On Monday, the B.C. government announced that its first standalone government stores are only expected to be selling cannabis by "late summer," meaning they will not be ready by July 1.
Federal officials have told The Globe and Mail that the three ministers, in addition to parliamentary secretary Bill Blair, want to reassure senators that the transition will be done in a "responsible and orderly fashion."
The exact timing for the legalization of cannabis depends on the speed with which the Senate studies and adopts C-45. Any amendment to the proposed legislation would send the bill back to the House of Commons, which could delay its adoption.
