The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday, Dec. 11, edition that Conservative senators are threatening to hold up passage of two bills that would legalize cannabis consumption and toughen rules against abuse. The Globe's John Ibbitson writes that unless these senators yield, the bills are unlikely to become law in time for the Canada Day deadline. Conservative Senator Claude Carignan is lead opposition critic on the legislation. He says it will take the Senate months to pass the bills. Given the summer recess, that would push Senate ratification to
businesses "take a risk if they adopt a plan without legislation in place adopted by both houses," says Mr. Carignan.
The political question is who will suffer more if the July 1 deadline is missed: The Liberals, for trying to force through legislation legalizing recreational marijuana use, or the Conservatives, for blocking the legislation in the Senate.
Either way, the Red Chamber's reputation could be sent back into the depths.
A frustrated Senator Frances Lankin, an independent who was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, says, "This is the opposition trying to throw a spanner into the works of the government."
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