THE CANADIAN PRESS/Joe Mahoney
UPDATED June 13, 2018 4:16pmET
MPs are considering the government response to Senate amendments on the cannabis bill. WATCH LIVE:
The government is opposed to giving provinces and territories the power to ban home cultivation, arguing:
The government has been clear that provinces and territories are able to make additional restrictions on personal cultivation but that it is critically important to permit personal cultivation in order to support the government’s objective of displacing the illegal market.
Manitoba and Quebec have indicated a preference for banning home cultivation of cannabis; C-45 would allow up to four cannabis plants at a person’s “dwelling-house.”
The Senate had rejected an outright ban on home cultivation, instead favouring the final say to rest with provincial and territorial governments.
#Cannabis bill:
Health Min. Ginette Petitpas Taylor confirms govt will reject Senate #C45 amendment allowing provinces to ban home cultivation; cites home brewing & medical pot, says “we absolutely believe the legisl’n should be consistent when it comes to recreational cannabis” pic.twitter.com/uwYxapmKUW
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) June 13, 2018
Watch the full news conference
The government also wants the House of Commons to reject:
- a ban on cannabis companies using branded merchandise to market their products.
- requiring corporate transparency from cannabis producers that receive federal licences. This would include the names of directors and officers, who holds controlling interest, and parent corporation or trust, and the names of shareholders. Conservative Senator Claude Carignan promoted the measure as necessary “to prevent the involvement of organized crime in the cannabis industry through the use of tax havens.“
- making “social sharing” with someone less than two years younger a ticketable offence instead of indictable — and instead of no penalty at all, as the social affairs committee decided in adopting 40 earlier amendments. The measure is aimed at those who share cannabis with those not of legal age, and would be limited to 5 grams.
Government does not support Senate #C45 amendments on social sharing, banning branded merch, and corporate info disclosure. Debate expected later today. Full list of gov’t response to amendments: https://t.co/Ot1Nl5DWb4 #cdnpoli #cannabis
— Andrew Thomson (@thomsonian) June 13, 2018
The government also rejects this Senate amendment on giving provinces the power to ban home cultivation. #cdnpoli #C45 #cannabis pic.twitter.com/3FLNAVGW0l
— Andrew Thomson (@thomsonian) June 13, 2018
The Senate passed more than 40 amendments before returning the bill to the Commons late last week.
-Andrew Thomson