Cannabis Act heading back to the Senate after House rejects 13 amendments

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – The bill to legalize marijuana has been sent back to the Senate after the House of Commons rejects 13 proposed amendments.

By a vote of 205 to 82, the bill has been sent back to the Upper Chamber. While most amendments were accepted, some of the big changes, like giving provinces the power to ban home cultivation, have been shot down.

It’s now in the senators’ court in this game of parliamentary ping pong. If they give in to the will of the House and accept the bill, it officially passes, but they could drag this on by send it back to the house insisting on the changes.

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor thinks the bill strikes the right balance.

“Bill C-45 in it’s present form is a good bill and I’m looking forward to receive the feedback that we’ll be receiving from the Senate.”

Time is ticking since the spring sitting ends on Friday. The Senate returned to debating the bill Monday night but have since put it over until Tuesday morning.

If the bill received royal accent this week, the government will wait two to three months before legalization begins. That could take us into mid September but the minister insists a legalization date has not been set.

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