MP–MD angry after marijuana bill goes up in smoke

Alliance MP Keith Martin shattered parliamentary tradition in April because of his anger over the Liberals' use of a procedural manoeuvre to kill his private member's bill. The bill, which called for the decriminalization of marijuana possession, had been his pet project.

Figure. Dr. Keith Martin maced the Commons Photo by: Canapress

“It's an unprecedented poison-pill amendment that prevents the bill from being brought forward and read,” said Martin, an emergency physician who has represented his BC riding in the House of Commons for 9 years. “The bill should have been voted on freely. It was an utter violation of our democratic rights as MPs.”

Martin was so angry that at one point he grabbed the ceremonial mace in the Commons — a serious violation of parliamentary tradition. He later apologized.

Bill C-344 would have made simple marijuana possession a minor civil offence rather than a criminal one — an idea several national organizations, including the CMA, have supported. The CMA says this would allow funds to be redirected from criminal prosecution to the treatment of addiction.

Under the current system, someone found guilty of “simple possession” (30 g or less) of marijuana receives a criminal record, faces up to 6 months in prison and a fine of up to $1000. Martin's bill, which was introduced in May 2001, would have made a first offence punishable by a fine of $200. This would increase to $500 for a second offence and to $1000 for all subsequent ones. According to Martin, more than half of MPs support decriminalization.

His bill made it to second reading before a Liberal motion to refer it to a special parliamentary committee effectively killed it. Government House Leader Ralph Goodale said the referral action was not “unreasonable.”

Martin says few private member's bills have been passed since the last federal election. In the current session of Parliament, only 3 bills have become law; all 3 came from the Senate and none involved a substantive issue. Not one of the 248 private member's proposed by MPs since this session of Parliament opened in 2001 has been passed.

“The system,” says Martin, “is designed to stop MPs from being innovative and constructive.” — Louise Gagnon, Ottawa