Mr. Chair, that is an absolutely ridiculous line of thinking to think that this piece of legislation will send a message to our courts and to the people of this country that marijuana will be dealt with in a severe way.
This piece of legislation does just the opposite. It sends the message that we will go soft on it because it is almost legalized and by the way, let us cut a special deal for our youth who are the ones who are using the most of it. Do people realize that marijuana is the drug of choice, actually the product of choice, for people under the age of 25 in this country? It is above cigarettes.
I do not understand my hon. colleague being so compassionate about trying to help the RCMP. Those officers had tears in their eyes, that he spoke so passionately about. I would want to ask them the same question, or have him ask the same question about this piece of legislation that sends such a strong message to society that we will just go easy on this drug and all will be well.
I am okay with the RCMP decriminalizing small amounts and having the RCMP apply a penalty. However, let us make that penalty not half as much, let us make it twice as much. Let us send the message that we are sick and tried of criminals abusing our kids in this society. No longer should we have to put up with that or should we have to stand by and just watch it happen.
We have an opportunity in light of this debate and this incident that has happened. We can draw a line in the sand and say we are going to fight back harder or we can retreat and give up the marijuana debate in this country, and say that it is okay for society to engage in it.
Those are the choices that we are going to make in this House and, in doing so in this House, in society. Does my hon. colleague still feel so passionately that this piece of legislation sends the right message to the kids on our streets?