Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I am really worried about what we have done in the House of Commons with regard to this bill.
I did a research paper from the University of California, Berkeley. That research paper, and others who helped me, showed that the first marijuana cigarette that a person smokes goes into the brain cells and stays there for nine days. It affects the way one thinks, the way one feels, and one's whole attitude.
Also, I had worked at a church before I came up here. There were 23 young people who came from the local high school every day at noon hour and a man gave them marijuana every day. He gave it to them until they became addicted, and it is addictive. This is something I do not think the government realizes.
I told the minister of my church that I was going to go out and tell those kids that I would buy them hot dogs and pop and that I would bring them in. However, they could not smoke up before this. If they smoked up afterwards, we would not call the police. I said that I wanted to see if we could get them out of the alleyway.
It took a few weeks, but we finally got them out of the alleyway and we were able to get them away from the man who wanted them to pay for their marijuana.
Five Christmas Eve's ago my doorbell rang back home. I went to the door and this gentleman was standing there. He said, “Mrs. Wayne, do you remember me?” I told him that his face was familiar. He told me that his mom and dad were in the car and that he had just came back from Toronto. I said, “Your Tony” and I asked him what he was doing. He told me that he was a draftsman in Toronto. He said that if I had not taken him out of that alleyway, he would be laying there now on cocaine.
If they do get caught with a small amount of marijuana, they should get a penalty, and they will be pardoned. We have been able to pardon some. I do not understand how anyone on the government side could say it is all right for them to have--
