The Conversation
15 May 2019, 10:20 GMT+10
Canada's federal government is currently working to pass a bill that would provide pardons for people convicted of minor cannabis possession. With a federal election around the corner, it may be too little, too late.
As a result of mounting pressure, Canada's federal government is now struggling to pass this bill before politicians leave the capital for the summer break.
If the bill does not pass, it is unlikely to do so before a national election this fall, leaving tens of thousands of lives hanging in the balance.
It has been a little over six months since Canada legalized recreational cannabis, and by most accounts this national experiment has been a relative success. What Canadian legalization still lacks, however, are the important measures needed to repair the damage caused by almost a century of prohibition.
American legislators should take note.
As is the case in many other jurisdictions, Canadian drug law enforcement is heavily racialized. Data gathered from Toronto and other major Canadian cities show that Black and Indigenous people have been arrested for minor cannabis possession at rates as high as five and nine times that of whites, respectively.
This means that Black and Indigenous people have been disproportionately burdened with the outcomes of a criminal record - reduced educational and employment opportunities, poorer housing prospects and travel restrictions - for engaging in an activity enjoyed by a significant proportion of the Canadian population.
Unlike the narrative now dominant among the U.S. 2020 Democratic hopefuls, Canada's move towards legalization was never about social justice or reparations. Having promised recreational cannabis as part of his campaign platform, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government rushed to draft and pass the Cannabis Act in time to help them secure a political win.
Addressing the racialized harms of cannabis prohibition barely featured in political debates over legalization in Canada. Instead, the focus was on promoting public health and diverting profits away from the illicit market.
While we dither over whether to provide pot pardons, equally substantive equity measures such as the reinvestment of cannabis tax revenue into the communities most harmed by prohibition, and the incorporation of the drug war's victims into the legal cannabis industry go largely unrealized. For legalization to be a true success, these measures must be forthcoming.
Opponents were right to derail legalization in New York state last month because the proposed bill failed to adequately address social justice issues up front.
Given the nature of the political process, it can be all too easy for politicians to satisfy themselves with half-baked policies. If there is one thing that American lawmakers can learn from the Canadian example, it is that cannabis equity must be incorporated into legalization from the outset.
Given the lack of racial and economic diversity in established cannabis industries, not doing so is likely to further entrench the inequalities created by the war on drugs.
Get a daily dose of Toronto Telegraph news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Toronto Telegraph.
More InformationBASTROP, Texas: In a surprising turn at Elon Musk's X platform, CEO Linda Yaccarino announced she is stepping down, just months after...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Former British prime minister Rishi Sunak will return to Goldman Sachs in an advisory role, the Wall Street...
LONDON, U.K.: Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their most significant semi-annual inflow since the first half...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Some 32 percent of global semiconductor production could face climate change-related copper supply disruptions...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rebounded Tuesday with all the major indices gaining ground. Markets in the UK, Europe and Canada...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Financial markets kicked off the week on a cautious note as President Donald Trump rolled out a fresh round...
OTTAWA, Canada: With Canada Post struggling to maintain operations amid labour unrest, rivals like FedEx and UPS are stepping in to...
(Photo credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images) Pete Crow-Armstrong enters his first trip to Yankee Stadium as a member of the 25-25 club...
Surrey [Canada], July 11 (ANI): Comedian and actor Kapil Sharma's 'Kap's Cafe' in Canada has shared their response against the firing...
(Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images) Kyle Manzardo was slated to bat cleanup and play first base for the Cleveland Guardians...
New Delhi [India], July 11 (ANI): Indian stock markets opened under pressure on Friday as continued tariff tensions led by US President...
(Photo credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images) The Vancouver Whitecaps and Colorado Rapids will set out to reverse some recent poor form...