Close X
Monday, December 2, 2024
ADVT 
National

Federal marijuana legislation approved by Commons, moves on to Senate

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Nov, 2017 10:30 AM
  • Federal marijuana legislation approved by Commons, moves on to Senate

The federal government's plan to legalize marijuana by next summer is a step closer.

Bill C-45 received final approval Monday in the House of Commons, passing by a vote of 200-82.

It now moves to the Senate, where Conservative senators are threatening to hold up passage of the bill.

That could yet derail the government's plan to have a legalized pot regime up and running by July.

Some provinces have complained they can't be ready to implement and enforce the legislation so quickly.

But a Conservative bid to force a delay in its implementation went down to defeat Monday, by a vote of 199-83.

Prior to the vote, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said Commons approval of Bill C-45 marks an "important milestone" in the government's plans to keep pot profits out of the hands of organized crime and marijuana out of the hands of kids.

She also said she looks forward to further debate in the Senate.

The federal NDP supports the government's legislation, which was amended to scrap a requirement that home-grown marijuana plants be less than 100 centimetres tall and to require that legislation for cannabis edibles and concentrates be brought forward within a year.

The Conservatives have been pushing for the Liberal government to reconsider its arbitrary timeline for implementing marijuana legalization, arguing it would be more responsible to consider a July 2019 deadline instead of July 2018.

MORE National ARTICLES

Telus Apologizes After 'Years-old' Ad Causes Brief Twitter Controversy

Telus Apologizes After 'Years-old' Ad Causes Brief Twitter Controversy
CALGARY — Telus is apologizing after what the company says was a five-year-old ad caused a brief stir on social media on Saturday.

Telus Apologizes After 'Years-old' Ad Causes Brief Twitter Controversy

‘ISIS Still recruiting:' Imam Warns Youth To Beware Of Influence Of Islamic State

‘ISIS Still recruiting:' Imam Warns Youth To Beware Of Influence Of Islamic State
CALGARY — The tall, slim teenager asks a question that's on the minds of many of the young people gathered around the cloth-covered tables in a small meeting room at a mosque in northeast Calgary.

‘ISIS Still recruiting:' Imam Warns Youth To Beware Of Influence Of Islamic State

Past Mistakes, Soul-Searching Feature In First B.C. Liberal Debate

Past Mistakes, Soul-Searching Feature In First B.C. Liberal Debate
Six of the candidates running to lead British Columbia's Liberals laid out their ideas to rebuild the party Sunday in a debate that dwelled at times on what went wrong in last spring's election.

Past Mistakes, Soul-Searching Feature In First B.C. Liberal Debate

'Maybe I'm Irritating:' Naheed Nenshi Neck-And-Neck With Challenger In Calgary Mayoralty Race

CALGARY — Municipal elections are being held in Alberta today and the race for the mayor's chair in Calgary is drawing the most attention.

'Maybe I'm Irritating:' Naheed Nenshi Neck-And-Neck With Challenger In Calgary Mayoralty Race

Halifax Neighbourhood Overrun By Homecoming Parties, Leads To 22 Arrests

Halifax Neighbourhood Overrun By Homecoming Parties, Leads To 22 Arrests
HALIFAX — Nearly two dozen partygoers were arrested after a series of off-campus celebrations for Dalhousie University's homecoming weekend overran a Halifax neighbourhood.

Halifax Neighbourhood Overrun By Homecoming Parties, Leads To 22 Arrests

Taliban Says Freed Canadian Hostage's Allegations Of Rape And Murder Are False

Taliban Says Freed Canadian Hostage's Allegations Of Rape And Murder Are False
A spokesman for the Taliban is denying the allegations of a freed Canadian hostage who says his wife was raped and his daughter killed by their abductors.

Taliban Says Freed Canadian Hostage's Allegations Of Rape And Murder Are False