Yes, I'm moving NDP-4.
This particular amendment is replacing line 7 on page 2. The word is actually split, but the amendment replaces “imprisonment for a term of two years” with the following:
imprisonment for a term of two years if any of the factors set out in subparagraph (a)(i) apply and if
The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that the aggravating factors that are laid out would only apply if they could be connected to organized crime, or violence, or the use or threatened use of a weapon. These are actually aggravating factors already set out in proposed items 5(3)(a)(i)(A) and (B) and (C), and they're already within the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. So we believe this is already adequately covered, and to impose a mandatory minimum of two years is something that goes beyond where it should go.
That's the reason we put forward this amendment. We want to make sure it's only to be connected to organized crime or violence, because we heard from government members that this was the intent of the bill. But the actual implementation of this bill, we believe, will go far beyond that. We want to be very clear that if that's what the target is, let's then be very specific about it in this clause of the bill.