While the Liberal government estimated 10,000 Canadians with cannabis convictions were eligible for expedited pardons (out of some 500,000 with convictions that include other crimes), to date Public Safety Canada has only received 234 applications, and has given out only 118 pardons.
CBC Politics
- Senator Kimberley Pate, appointed by Justin Trudeau in 2016, said the number was “incredibly low.” She acknowledged despite the process being named a “no-cost record suspension system” it cost hundreds of dollars to request a pardon.
- Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, who has routinely criticized his own party’s approach to pardons, said, “Automatic cannabis amnesty would have been more practical and effective, and better remedied the injustice of our discriminatory prohibition policies.”
Twitter—Nate Erskine-Smith
Quick Hits
- Two people were arrested using a potato gun to fire cannabis and crystal meth over the wall of the Saskatoon Provincial Correction Centre.
Youtube—Cottage Life, CTV News - US travellers entering Canada are told “All cannabis products must be declared.” However, though REC is legal in Canada, declaring you’re bringing legal REC or MED—even from US legal states—is enough to get Americans turned away, or even barred for life.
Seven Days
