--goes out and says that it is all right, they are giving the wrong message. The message is that it is not all right, and that is what we have to say. Contributing to the wrong message does not solve the problem. What we have to do is comply with our international obligations.
We have the single convention on narcotic drugs, the convention on psychotropic substances and the convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Canada is party to all three of these international conventions dealing with illegal drugs. These treaties require the member countries to prohibit certain activities, including the production, trafficking, import and export of drugs. Countries do and must provide adequate penalties, including imprisonment for serious drug offences.