US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA1322

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001322 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL (CARROL); DOJ FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL 
AFFAIRS (BURKE); WHITE HOUSE FOR ONDCP (BAUM) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2013 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, KRIM, CA, Narcotics 
SUBJECT: CANADA: DECRIMINALIZATION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF 
MARIJUANA 
 
Classified By: Pol MC Brian Flora for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: On May 7, poloffs were briefed by Terry 
Cormier, Director of DFAIT's International Crime and 
Terrorism Division, and Kevin O'Shea, Director of DFAIT's 
United States General Relations Division, on the Canadian 
government's plans to decrease legal sanctions for the 
possession of small amounts of marijuana. Cormier stressed 
that the government will not propose "legalizing" marijuana, 
and that possession will remain illegal  in Canada.  He also 
indicated the government's marijuana proposal would be part 
of a broad national drug control strategy that will include 
studies on drug consumption, addiction, and drug treatment 
programs. Cormier said Minister of Justice Cauchon plans to 
travel to Washington next week to preview more formally the 
GOC's plans to appropriate USG officials. End summary. 
 
2. (C) The government of Canada is expected to ask the House 
of Commons shortly to approve a bill that will decriminalize 
the possession of small amounts of marijuana.  In a briefing 
for poloffs on May 7, Director Cormier indicated the bill 
would not provide for the legalization of marijuana, although 
he acknowledged that this may be the public perception. 
Cormier said that possession of even small amounts of 
marijuana would continue to be illegal.  The bill will 
propose that when a person is caught in possession of a small 
amount of marijuana, the marijuana will be seized and the 
person ticketed and ordered to pay a fine.  Although a 2002 
report by the Canadian Senate  recommended the complete 
legalization of marijuana, Cormier emphasized that this is 
not the route the government will take. 
 
3. (C) Cormier said that a principal reason behind the 
decriminalization proposal is the very uneven enforcement of 
current marijuana sanctions. Persons caught with small 
amounts of marijuana in Canada's urban areas are usually not 
arrested or charged because of the heavy burden  prosecution 
of these cases would place on police and the court system. In 
Canada's smaller cities and rural areas, on the other hand, 
possession of small amounts of marijuana often results in 
arrest and prosecution.  Cormier noted that the issue of 
decriminalization has been under consideration by the 
government for a long time, and has been thoroughly studied 
by committees of both the House and Senate. He argued there 
is no evidence that more liberal possession laws lead to 
increased marijuana usage. Citing studies of marijuana use in 
the Netherlands, Cormier said the expectation is that 
decriminalization will eventually result in a decrease, not 
an increase, in marijuana consumption. 
 
5. (C) Cormier further noted that the decriminalization 
proposal will be part of a broad national drug strategy, 
which will address issues such as drug consumption, 
addiction, and treatment programs.  The national drug 
strategy will have two principal goals: first, to reduce drug 
consumption among young people; second, to redirect law 
enforcement resources away from personal possession cases and 
towards stopping drug traffickers.  The government is 
considering proposing stricter penalties on persons who 
cultivate and distribute marijuana as part of its national 
drug strategy, but Cormier did not give details. 
 
6. (C) It is not certain exactly when the bill will be 
introduced, but it could be as soon as two weeks from now, or 
perhaps not until June. Cormier described only in broad terms 
 what the bill would include and was vague on details. For 
example, he did not disclose what quantity of marijuana will 
be subject to the decreased sanctions. Cormier indicated that 
Justice Minister Cauchon plans to travel to Washington next 
week (possibly May 14) to outline the government's drug 
proposal for U.S. government officials, and asked our help in 
identifying appropriate offices and individuals for Cauchon 
to visit. (Note: Cauchon has reportedly already been in 
contact with Secretary Ashcroft about this visit.) 
 
7. (C) Cormier also touched briefly on the subject of 
precursor chemicals.  He stressed  the government of Canada 
"wants to work together" with the U.S. on this problem and 
said  Canadian law enforcement "has been sharing everything" 
with us.  Precursors are an agenda item for the next Cross 
Border Crime Forum, scheduled for May 21 in West Virginia. 
 
8. (C) Comment: The GOC clearly wants to begin managing the 
negative reaction to decriminalization it expects from the 
United States. Cormier emphasized that possession of even 
small amounts of marijuana will remain illegal in Canada. He 
cited polls showing that 70 percent of Canadians approve of 
at least partial decriminalization of marijuana and asserted 
the government's proposal will be "less radical" than the 
current marijuana laws in some U.S. states (he cited Ohio for 
an example).  The GOC intends to proceed with its 
decriminalization proposal in the very near future, but will 
try to minimize the impact of this action on our overall 
bilateral relationship. End comment. 
CELLUCCI