Bill C-45 (Historical)

Cannabis Act

An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts

This bill was last introduced in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session, which ended in September 2019.

Sponsor

Jody Wilson-Raybould  Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment enacts the Cannabis Act to provide legal access to cannabis and to control and regulate its production, distribution and sale.
The objectives of the Act are to prevent young persons from accessing cannabis, to protect public health and public safety by establishing strict product safety and product quality requirements and to deter criminal activity by imposing serious criminal penalties for those operating outside the legal framework. The Act is also intended to reduce the burden on the criminal justice system in relation to cannabis.
The Act
(a) establishes criminal prohibitions such as the unlawful sale or distribution of cannabis, including its sale or distribution to young persons, and the unlawful possession, production, importation and exportation of cannabis;
(b) enables the Minister to authorize the possession, production, distribution, sale, importation and exportation of cannabis, as well as to suspend, amend or revoke those authorizations when warranted;
(c) authorizes persons to possess, sell or distribute cannabis if they are authorized to sell cannabis under a provincial Act that contains certain legislative measures;
(d) prohibits any promotion, packaging and labelling of cannabis that could be appealing to young persons or encourage its consumption, while allowing consumers to have access to information with which they can make informed decisions about the consumption of cannabis;
(e) provides for inspection powers, the authority to impose administrative monetary penalties and the ability to commence proceedings for certain offences by means of a ticket;
(f) includes mechanisms to deal with seized cannabis and other property;
(g) authorizes the Minister to make orders in relation to matters such as product recalls, the provision of information, the conduct of tests or studies, and the taking of measures to prevent non-compliance with the Act;
(h) permits the establishment of a cannabis tracking system for the purposes of the enforcement and administration of the Act;
(i) authorizes the Minister to fix, by order, fees related to the administration of the Act; and
(j) authorizes the Governor in Council to make regulations respecting such matters as quality, testing, composition, packaging and labelling of cannabis, security clearances and the collection and disclosure of information in respect of cannabis as well as to make regulations exempting certain persons or classes of cannabis from the application of the Act.
This enactment also amends the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to, among other things, increase the maximum penalties for certain offences and to authorize the Minister to engage persons having technical or specialized knowledge to provide advice. It repeals item 1 of Schedule II and makes consequential amendments to that Act as the result of that repeal.
In addition, it repeals Part XII.‍1 of the Criminal Code, which deals with instruments and literature for illicit drug use, and makes consequential amendments to that Act.
It amends the Non-smokers’ Health Act to prohibit the smoking and vaping of cannabis in federally regulated places and conveyances.
Finally, it makes consequential amendments to other Acts.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Votes

June 18, 2018 Passed Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts
Nov. 27, 2017 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts
Nov. 27, 2017 Failed Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts (recommittal to a committee)
Nov. 21, 2017 Passed Concurrence at report stage of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts
Nov. 21, 2017 Failed Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts (report stage amendment)
Nov. 21, 2017 Failed Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts (report stage amendment)
Nov. 21, 2017 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts
June 8, 2017 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts
June 8, 2017 Failed 2nd reading of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts (reasoned amendment)
June 6, 2017 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts

Health Committee, on Sept. 11, 2017

  • Jacqueline Bogden, Assistant Deputy Minister, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch, Department of Health
  • Carole Morency, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
  • Kathy Thompson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Community Safety and Countering Crime Branch, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
  • Commissioner Joanne Crampton, Federal Policing Criminal Operations, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • Diane Labelle, General Counsel, Health Canada Legal Services, Department of Justice
  • Eric Costen, Director General, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch, Department of Health
  • Anne McLellan, Senior Advisor, Bennett Jones LLP, As an Individual
  • Mark Ware, Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, As an Individual
  • Michael Spratt, Criminal Lawyer, Abergel Goldstein and Partners, As an Individual
  • David Johnston, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Association for Pharmacy Distribution Management
  • Shelita Dattani, Director, Practice Development and Knowledge Translation, Canadian Pharmacists Association
  • Philippe Lucas, Executive Director, Canadian Medical Cannabis Council
  • Keith Jones, Chair, Government Relations, Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance
  • Dale Tesarowski, Executive Director, Corporate Initiatives, Performance and Planning, Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice
  • Sébastien St. Louis, Member of Board of Directors, Cannabis Canada Association
  • Colette Rivet, Executive Director, Cannabis Canada Association
  • Robert Rae, Director, Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance
  • Laurent Marcoux, President, Canadian Medical Association
  • Trevor Bhupsingh, Director General, Law Enforcement and Border Strategies Directorate, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
  • Martin Bruce, Organized Crime Section, Vancouver Police Department
  • Jeff Blackmer, Vice-President, Medical Professionalism, Canadian Medical Association
  • Jennifer Lutfallah, Director General, Enforcement and Intelligence Programs, Canada Border Services Agency
  • Sergeant Bill Speam, Organized Crime Section, Vancouver Police Department

Health Committee, on Sept. 12, 2017

  • Mike Serr, Deputy Chief Constable, Drug Advisory Committee, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
  • Rick Barnum, Deputy Commissioner, Investigation and Organized Crime, Ontario Provincial Police
  • Mark Chatterbok, Deputy Chief of Operations, Saskatoon Police Service
  • Thomas Carrique, Deputy Chief, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
  • Neil Boyd, Professor of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, As an Individual
  • Christian Leuprecht, Professor, Department of Political Science, Royal Military College of Canada, As an Individual
  • Paul-Matthieu Grondin, President of the Quebec bar, Barreau du Québec
  • Pascal Lévesque, President, Criminal Law Committee, Barreau du Québec
  • Luc Hervé Thibaudeau, President, Consumer Protection Committee, Barreau du Québec
  • Anne London-Weinstein, Former Director, Criminal Lawyers' Association
  • Sam Kamin, Professor of Marijuana Law and Policy, University of Denver, As an Individual
  • Michael Hartman, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Revenue
  • Marc-Boris St-Maurice, Regional Director, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
  • Abigail Sampson, Regional Coordinator, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
  • Rick Garza, Director, Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
  • Marco Vasquez, Retired Police Chief, Town of Erie, Colorado Police Department, As an Individual
  • Andrew Freedman, Director, Freedman and Koski Inc.
  • Kristi Weeks, Government Relations Director, Washington State Department of Health
  • Kevin Sabet, President, Smart Approaches to Marijuana

Health Committee, on Sept. 13, 2017

  • Jonathan Page, Chief Executive Officer, Anandia Labs
  • John Conroy, Barrister, As an Individual
  • John Dickie, President, Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations
  • Scott Bernstein, Senior Policy Analyst, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
  • Ian Culbert, Executive Director, Canadian Public Health Association
  • Christina Grant, Member of the Adolescent Health Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society
  • Judith Renaud, Executive Director, Educators for Sensible Drug Policy
  • Paul Renaud, Communications Director, Educators for Sensible Drug Policy
  • Peter A. Howlett, President, Portage
  • Peter Vamos, Executive Director, Portage
  • Amy Porath, Director, Research and Policy, Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
  • Marc Paris, Executive Director, Drug Free Kids Canada
  • William J. Barakett, Member, DFK Canada Advisory Council, Drug Free Kids Canada
  • François Gagnon, Scientific Advisor, Institut national de santé publique du Québec
  • Maude Chapados, Scientific Advisor, Institut national de santé publique du Québec
  • Gabor Maté, Retired Physician, As an Individual
  • Benedikt Fischer, Senior Scientist, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
  • Bernard Le Foll, Medical Head, Addiction Medicine Service, Acute Care Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
  • Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health, City of Toronto
  • Sharon Levy, Director, Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Boston Children's Hospital, As an Individual
  • Michelle Suarly, Chair, Cannabis Task Group, Ontario Public Health Association
  • Elena Hasheminejad, Member, Cannabis Task Group, Ontario Public Health Association

Health Committee, on Sept. 14, 2017

  • Lynda Balneaves, Registered Nurse and Medical and Non-Medical Cannabis Researcher, Canadian Nurses Association
  • Karey Shuhendler, Policy Advisor, Policy, Advocacy and Strategy, Canadian Nurses Association
  • Serge Melanson, Doctor, New Brunswick Medical Society
  • Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness
  • Michael DeVillaer, Assistant Professor, Policy Analyst, McMaster University, As an Individual
  • Mark Kleiman, Professor of Public Policy, Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University, As an Individual
  • Trina Fraser, Partner, Brazeau Seller LLP
  • Brenda Baxter, Director General, Workplace Directorate, Labour Program, Department of Employment and Social Development
  • Norm Keith, Partner, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
  • Clara Morin Dal Col, Minister of Health, Métis National Council
  • Isadore Day, Ontario Regional Chief, Chiefs of Ontario
  • Wenda Watteyne, Senior Policy Advisor, Métis National Council
  • David Hammond, Professor, University of Waterloo, School of Public Health and Health Systems, As an Individual
  • Mike Hammoud, President, Atlantic Convenience Stores Association
  • Melodie Tilson, Director of Policy, Non-Smokers' Rights Association
  • Pippa Beck, Senior Policy Analyst, Non-Smokers' Rights Association
  • Steven Hoffman, Professor, Faculty of Health, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, As an Individual
  • Beau Kilmer, Co-Director, RAND Drug Policy Research Center
  • Kirk Tousaw, Lawyer, Tousaw Law Corporation
  • Stephen Rolles, Senior Policy Analyst, Transform Drug Policy Foundation

Health Committee, on Sept. 15, 2017

  • Ryan Vandrey, Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins University, As an Individual
  • Daniel Vigil, Manager, Marijuana Health Monitoring and Research, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
  • Dana Larsen, Director, Sensible BC
  • Hilary Black, Founder, BC Compassion Club Society
  • Marcel Vandebeek, Administrator, BC Compassion Club Society
  • Jonathan Zaid, Executive Director, Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana
  • Daphnée Elisma, Quebec Representative, Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana
  • Jacqueline Bogden, Assistant Deputy Minister, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch, Department of Health
  • David Pellmann, Executive Director, Office of Medical Cannabis, Department of Health
  • Lisa Holmes, President, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association
  • Marc Emery, Cannabis Culture
  • Jodie Emery, Cannabis Culture
  • Bill Karsten, Second Vice-President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
  • Brock Carlton, Chief Executive Officer, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Health Committee, on Sept. 19, 2017

  • Jacqueline Bogden, Assistant Deputy Minister, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch, Department of Health

Health Committee, on Oct. 2, 2017

Health Committee, on Oct. 3, 2017

  • Paul Saint-Denis, Senior Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice
  • Olivier Champagne, Legislative Clerk, House of Commons
  • Diane Labelle, General Counsel, Health Canada Legal Services, Department of Justice
  • John Clare, Director, Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Branch, Department of Health
  • Carole Morency, Director General and Senior General Counsel, Criminal Law Policy Section, Department of Justice