February 24, 2004

Police, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Customs Officers Urge the Prime Minister of Canada to Delay Marijuana Bill

OTTAWA, ON – In an open letter to the Prime Minister Paul Martin, the country’s top police associations, a pre-eminent victims’ rights organization and the national union representing customs officers called on the Prime Minister to delay the passage of the new marijuana legislation until countermeasures are in place to safeguard Canadians’ health and safety.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), the Canadian Professional Police Association (CPPA), the Canadian Association of Police Boards (CAPB), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) and Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise (CEUDA) stated that the Government’s current initiative of loosening possession laws for marijuana ‘will come at a high price for our society.’

Here are the key concerns expressed by the groups:

Edgar MacLeod, CACP President states: “With Bill C-10 this government is "putting the cart before the horse. We need a National Drug Strategy that encourages collaboration and active involvement of the federal government, provinces and territories, and municipalities. The current drug strategy falls far short of that goal. The strategy is not adequately funded and in most cases the funding and the tools, are not currently in place.”

Andrew Murie, National Executive Director of MADD Canada states: “The Government is aware of legislation that will keep roads safe from drug-impaired drivers,” says. “Police need the authority to detect and charge drug impaired drivers. Effective safeguards should be in place before we make marijuana easily accessible to the public, and particularly to young motorists, who are already over-represented in impaired driving crashes and fatalities.”

Tony Cannavino, CPPA President states: "The marijuana bill is sending the wrong message to Canadians, particularly our young people. We have serious concerns about the booming marijuana grow-op industry. We need tools and training for police to deal with drug impaired drivers. We need to retain police discretion to lay criminal charges for marijuana possession when circumstances warrant. There are serious issues about Canada's borders. We are urging Prime Minister Martin to listen to police and victims, and reject this bill until these problems have been corrected."

Edward W. Keyes, CAPB President states: "It is imperative that adequate programs be put in place before legislation to decriminalize marijuana is enacted, to educate young people and their parents about the adverse effects of illicit drug use and to enable an integrated approach to prevention, enforcement, treatment, rehabilitation and research. We share the concerns of MADD Canada and our policing partners in this regard."

Ron Moran, CEUDA National President states: “With the growing and misguided impression that Canada is fast becoming the Amsterdam of North America, travelers must expect longer wait times at the border if this bill is adopted”.

The open letter to the Prime Minister listed all the above concerns and can be consulted at www.cppa-acpp.ca under “What’s new”. The CACP, CPPA, CAPB and MADD Canada all opposed Bill C-38, the federal government’s previous decriminalization legislation. They were also unified in presenting Justice Canada with legislative solutions for a potential drug-impaired driving Bill.

For more information, please contact:

Sophie Roux, Communications Officer, CPPA (613) 231-4168
Andrew Murie, Executive Director, MADD Canada 1-800-665-6233, ext. 224
Erik Lupien, Communications Officer, CEUDA (613) 723-8008, ext. 318

Also see -

An Open Letter Concerning Bill C-10 Decriminalization Of Marijuana