Thank you.
I want to turn to the impending cannabis legalization. If you believe the government's statements about July 1, then we're a matter of seven weeks away from cannabis being legalized in this country.
We New Democrats have been raising the issue of having an agreement with the U.S. to protect Canadian citizens from peril as they approach the border. This week, former U.S. ambassador to Canada, Bruce Heyman, said:
I actually think Canada has to negotiate this out. This is not something [where] one person should be making...individual decisions. I think CBSA and...U.S. Customs and Border Protection...need to have an understanding as to how best [to] approach it.... We really need to figure this out more government to government...so that you don’t have one-off operations...[at] 117 border crossings.
This was followed up on yesterday by U.S. immigration lawyer Len Saunders from Blaine, Washington, who warned that without an agreement, this approach is dangerous and “is going to create many, many, many border crossing issues for many, many, many people”. Canadians could be barred for life from entering the United States for simply admitting that they've consumed cannabis, legally or otherwise.
Minister, do you have an agreement between Canada and the United States that will protect Canadians and their travel and business interests once cannabis is legalized in Canada?