The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk PC, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour & Liberal Member of Parliament for 46006 Kildonan-St. Paul (Manitoba)

The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk PC, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour & Liberal Member of Parliament for 46006 Kildonan-St. Paul (Manitoba)

On Tue, Aug 9, 2016 at 2:00 PM, <MaryAnn.Mihychuk@parl.gc.ca> wrote:
Dear Sam,
Thank you for taking the time to write to me with your support for the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate your interest and am heartened by your participation in this historic conversation.
My first priority – and that of the Liberal Government – is to protect Canadians’ public health and public safety. We recognize that the current system is broken, and we have committed to working with health and safety experts from across the country to implement a new, more effective plan.
As the Minister of Health, Jane Philpott, has said “we will introduce legislation in the Spring of 2017 that ensures we keep marijuana out of the hands of children and profits out of the hands of criminals.” Since then, the Government has launched a task force that will provide expert advice on how the legalization process should take place; it will include perspectives from many different sectors, including health, justice, law enforcement, and public safety.
I have said it before and I will say it again, I support the legalization of marijuana.
Thank you again for writing to me on this important matter. I encourage you to continue the conversation and reach out again on any issue of concern.
Yours sincerely,
Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk
Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St. Paul

"
Would you support legalizing a small amount of marijuana? Have you ever tried it?

I do support the legalization of marijuana. Tax it, regulate it and prevent users from buying it from drug dealers on the streets
"
MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal — Kildonan-St. Paul
'Liberal Party did more for Senate reform in one morning than Stephen Harper has done in 10 years'
CBC News Posted: Oct 07, 2015 7:48 AM CT Last Updated: Oct 07, 2015 7:48 AM CT
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/election-manitoba-kildonan-st-paul-maryann-mihychuk-1.3260164


On Dec 10, 2015 8:34 AM, <MaryAnn.Mihychuk@parl.gc.ca> wrote: Good morning Sam,
Thank you for taking the time to send your ideas. This email was very informative and well-written. The government of Canada is indeed committed to legalizing, restricting and regulating access of marijuana.
These ideas will be brought to the Minister's attention and they have been made note of.
Regards,
Julia Demkowycz
On behalf of the Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk Member of Parliament, Kildonan - St. Paul Minister of Employment, Workforce Development & Labour? ________________________________ From: Sam Vekemans <samvekemans@gmail.com> Sent: December 8, 2015 1:17 AM To: The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk PC; Mihychuk, MaryAnn - M.P. Subject: The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk PC Re: Removing Cannabis From the Drug Schedule
Monday December 7, 2015
The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk PC Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Re: Removing Cannabis from the Drug Schedule.
Dear Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk,
Now that the Governor General has stated (on Friday December 4th 2015) in the Speech from the Throne, "To that end, the Government will introduce legislation that will ... legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana". The question remains on exactly how to go about doing this.
I have taken the liberty of drafting my own independent Bill that I hope Members of Parliament & The Senate will accept & adopt. I have titled and Numbered the Bill, and put it in the format of existing legislation.
Attached is a PDF (and links) for Bill S-420 'Remove Cannabis from the Drug Schedule Act'
This legislation clearly outlines 6 things needed to be done.
1. End the Prohibition of Cannabis by completely removing it from Schedule II, VII and VIII;
2. Grant amnesty for past convictions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
3. Let the Provinces, Territories and First Nations decide how they want to (tax, regulate, control, distribute) cannabis if needed;
4. Permit personal growing akin to normal municipal regulations for growing garden plants at home;
5. Recognize the value of dispensaries working with any Provincial, Territorial or First Nations legal access system; and
6. Repeal the Industrial Hemp Regulations, Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, along with the Other Consequential regulations relating to Cannabis as a Schedule II, VII and VIII substance.
Also attached is a PDF for Bill C-421 'The Cannabis Freedom Act'.
An Act to establish a National Day of Recognition and Reconciliation for those who have lost their lives or had their lives ruined from the failed Drug War, by designating the 20th day of April to be known as 'Cannabis Freedom Day' as a non-statutory holiday.
I look forward to your reply, comments and support for this proposal.
Yours sincerely,
Sam Vekemans