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For those who don't know, Canada has a federal election in October, 2015. There are 3 political parties that will determine Marijuana status in Canada; The Conservatives (Republicans), The Liberals (Democrats) and NDP (I'm Canadian and I really don't know how to label them...I think the word Socialist fits, and I do not mean this as an insult, merely as a descriptor)
For this election, there will be 338 seats up for grabs in the Parliament. The political party that controls a majority of these seats forms the government. A majority government can essentially rule with impunity, and in fact has tended to act anti democratically in the past. The ruling party ac 'prorogue' or suspend Parliament, and this has been done a few times in the last couple of years.
Currently, the Conservatives have a majority government. They will never legalize Marijuana. Essentially, they believe that it is evil. The NDP are the official opposition
The polls, as they stand now would give the Liberals a minority government. The polls have been stable since ~April. Although very much open to change, the Liberals are currently projected to win 148 seats, the NDP 109, the Conservatives 79 and the Greens 2.
Official Liberal party policy is to legalize, regulate and tax.
Official NDP policy to be announced in a few days is to immediately decriminalize, study and to perhaps legalize
Official Conservative policy is to build more prisons, hire more cops and to ensure that everyone just says no
The likely outcome of the October, 2015 election is that the Liberals will form a minority government, propped up by the NDP in exchange for some concessions (there's the deal with the devil, probably some social policy). Votes in Parliament can be made a matter of confidence. If the governing party loses a confidence vote, the government falls and an immediate election is called (usually for within a 4 week period). The NDP will likely prop up the Liberals until such time as the Liberals decide that they can form a majority government (and then they can dissolve parliament at will and call a new election).
Her's the guesswork on my part;
1) The Liberals will call for legalization
2) The Conservatives will oppose this, but since they would not be the official opposition, there is little they can do to stop such a vote. Delay it a bit, but not stop the vote.
3) The NDP (who have never formed a Canadian national government ever) will support the liberals in exchange for something, perhaps a national daycare system or more money thrown at healthcare
4) The vote will occur, pass and Marijuana will be legal from coast to coast in Canada (I'll guess before summer 2016 which is when parliament usually suspends), with a limited time frame for individual provinces to set up a regulatory marketplace, likely governed by Provincial liquor commissions.
Expect April 20, 2017 to be one hell of a party.
Tom
For this election, there will be 338 seats up for grabs in the Parliament. The political party that controls a majority of these seats forms the government. A majority government can essentially rule with impunity, and in fact has tended to act anti democratically in the past. The ruling party ac 'prorogue' or suspend Parliament, and this has been done a few times in the last couple of years.
Currently, the Conservatives have a majority government. They will never legalize Marijuana. Essentially, they believe that it is evil. The NDP are the official opposition
The polls, as they stand now would give the Liberals a minority government. The polls have been stable since ~April. Although very much open to change, the Liberals are currently projected to win 148 seats, the NDP 109, the Conservatives 79 and the Greens 2.
Official Liberal party policy is to legalize, regulate and tax.
Official NDP policy to be announced in a few days is to immediately decriminalize, study and to perhaps legalize
Official Conservative policy is to build more prisons, hire more cops and to ensure that everyone just says no
The likely outcome of the October, 2015 election is that the Liberals will form a minority government, propped up by the NDP in exchange for some concessions (there's the deal with the devil, probably some social policy). Votes in Parliament can be made a matter of confidence. If the governing party loses a confidence vote, the government falls and an immediate election is called (usually for within a 4 week period). The NDP will likely prop up the Liberals until such time as the Liberals decide that they can form a majority government (and then they can dissolve parliament at will and call a new election).
Her's the guesswork on my part;
1) The Liberals will call for legalization
2) The Conservatives will oppose this, but since they would not be the official opposition, there is little they can do to stop such a vote. Delay it a bit, but not stop the vote.
3) The NDP (who have never formed a Canadian national government ever) will support the liberals in exchange for something, perhaps a national daycare system or more money thrown at healthcare
4) The vote will occur, pass and Marijuana will be legal from coast to coast in Canada (I'll guess before summer 2016 which is when parliament usually suspends), with a limited time frame for individual provinces to set up a regulatory marketplace, likely governed by Provincial liquor commissions.
Expect April 20, 2017 to be one hell of a party.
Tom
