I was going to let this one slide, but Mr. Davies and Mr. Oliver opened the door.
First, on the campaign promise, let's look at the reality that took place, which was that a third-place party—which I don't think too many Canadians thought had a hope of ever achieving government, let alone a major majority—with a promise that was in the back of the books.... I'd love to do a poll of how many of the people I approached at the door said they wanted to talk about this marijuana deal. Not one. It wasn't on anybody's radar. To suggest that this was a hot campaign item, I don't think is fair.
Second, history was brought up twice. I love history. Mr. McKinnon first mentioned the fact that we've had 90 years of bad history. Mr. Davies said since the 1970s, but I'm reminded of a Chinese general—I forget his name—when they asked him after the Chinese revolution what he thought of the French revolution, he said it was too early to tell.
That's so true because in the same breath, Mr. McKinnon, you're forgetting why, in the early part of the 20th century, Canada, a young democracy, which had very little experience in these things, had such strong drug laws. It was because we had from that period of time an example of how drugs can destroy a society. We've forgotten. I argued that earlier today, and I think it needs to be recognized that there is good reason. It isn't a bunch of killjoys and then the young people want to smoke up so why should we stop them? There is a collective history, a lot of wise people enacted a law for good reason. I don't think the history argument is at all a fair argument. If we're going to use it, let's go back in history and let's talk about those things.
Again, as for the campaign promise, I don't buy it. I don't think Canadians expected us to have a government in place that would enact this type of legislation. I'll be voting against this amendment as well.