If it's of any interest to anyone here, I created a betmoose proposition:
https://www.betmoose.com/bet/canada-cannabis-legalized-before-2017-1655"We will remove marijuana consumption and incidental possession from the Criminal Code [of Canada]"
Will the Liberals be able to fulfill their promise before the end of 2016? Place your bets, or argue your speculation below!
https://www.liberal.ca/realchange/marijuana/"We will legalize, regulate, and restrict access to
marijuana.
Canada’s current system of
marijuana prohibition does not work. It does not prevent young people from using
marijuana and too many Canadians end up with criminal records for possessing small amounts of
the drug.
Arresting and prosecuting these offenses is expensive for our criminal justice system. It traps too many Canadians in the criminal justice system for minor, non-violent offenses. At the same time, the proceeds from the illegal drug trade support organized crime and greater threats to public safety, like human trafficking and hard drugs.
To ensure that we keep
marijuana out of the hands of children, and the profits out of the hands of criminals, we will legalize, regulate, and restrict access to
marijuana.
We will remove
marijuana consumption and incidental possession from the Criminal Code, and create new, stronger laws to punish more severely those who provide it to minors, those who operate a motor vehicle while under its influence, and those who sell it outside of the new regulatory framework.
We will create a federal/provincial/territorial task force, and with input from experts in public health, substance abuse, and law enforcement, will design a new system of strict
marijuana sales and distribution, with appropriate federal and provincial excise taxes applied."