The Liberal government is moving on its plan to expedite the pardon process and waive the fee for Canadians who were convicted of pot possession before the drug was legalized last fall.
Bill C-93, tabled in the House of Commons on Friday, amends the Criminal Records Act (CRA) and aims to break down barriers to employment, housing or travel for Canadians with a criminal record for pot.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair and Marc Miller, the parliamentary secretary for Crown-Indigenous Relations announced details on Parliament Hill today.
The normal fee of $631 for a pardon will be waived, along with the waiting period to apply, which is usually five years for a summary offence or 10 years for an indictable offence.
A pardon, or record suspension, does not erase the fact you were convicted of a crime, but it keeps the record separate from other criminal records.
The NDP has insisted pardons aren’t enough. The party says the government should allow for the expungement of criminal records, which would erase the criminal conviction entirely.
The Cannabis Act, which legalized and regulated the possession, cultivation and distribution of marijuana, came into force Oct. 17.
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