ASSEMBLÉE LOCALE TOWN HALL #30 avec with Député de MP for VAUDREUIL-SOULANGES VAUDREUIL-SOULANGES
CANNABIS Keeping cannabis out of the hands of young Canadians and the profits out of the pockets of organized crime.
WHY ARE WE LEGALIZING AND OUR GOVERNMENT S RESPONSE STRICTLY REGULATING CANNABIS? 1 Levels of use especially among youth Cannabis is the most used illicit substance in Canada Canadian youth use cannabis more than their peers in most developed countries 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Past Year Cannabis Use by age group 30 26 22 21 11 12 8 10 15+ 15-19 20-24 25+ 2013 2015 3
source: The Globe and Mail WHY ARE WE LEGALIZING AND STRICTLY REGULATING CANNABIS? 2 3 Billions of profits in the pockets of organized crime. Public health and safety concern. 4 Hundreds of millions wasted in a failing system. 5 Increased revenues for awareness campaigns and more. 4
OUR OPTIONS CURRENT SYSTEM Maintain a high level of use for young Canadians Use hard-earned taxpayer money for a system that is failing Allow organized crime to collect billions of dollars Have no control on product safety, potency and quality Miss out on money that could be used for educational campaigns IMPROVE THE SYSTEM with the goal of Protecting young Canadians Removing profits from the pockets of organized crime Reduce negative health and safety impacts 5
LEARNING FROM OTHERS: LEGALIZATION IN THE U.S. United States of America Rest of the world District of Columbia 2014 Alaska 2014 California 2016 Colorado 2012 Maine 2016 Massachusetts 2016 Nevada 2016 Oregon 2014 Vermont 2018 Washington 2012 Netherlands 1976 Spain 2015 Uruguay 2012 6
THE CASE OF COLORADO 4% reduction in youth cannabis consumption. 46% reduction in cannabis arrests. 18,000 source: new full-time jobs created. The Washington Post $105 million added to the state revenues from sales in 2016-2017. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (DUI) INCREASE 1. Law enforcement officers are actively looking for it. 2. Police officers have better tools to detect the substance. 7
OUR GOVERNMENT S PLAN 3,000 drug-impaired driving incidents took place in Canada in 2016. 1/5 deaths on the road are due to driving under the influence of cannabis from 2011 to 2015. 1 New funding to address DUIs We provided $274 million in new funding for our law enforcement officers. We created a new limit for drug offences. It is expected that 7,500 new police officers will be trained in the next 5 years. 2 Creating stricter penalties We created two new criminal offences with a stronger maximum penalty of. 14 years in prison. 3 Raising awareness We invested $110 million in public education and awareness. We will establish limits on product packaging 4 Providing provinces with the resources they need We have signed agreements that will ensure 75% of all government proceeds from the sale of cannabis will stay in the province in which it was first collected. 8
PROHIBITED SPACES In June, the Quebec government passed Bill 157 which outlined the framework for cannabis legalization in Quebec, including prohibited smoking areas such as: 1. Premises or buildings placed at the disposal of a post-secondary educational institution 2. Private residences where home childcare is provided 3. Community centres 4. The common areas of residential buildings comprising two or more dwellings 5. The common areas of private seniors residences 6. Restaurants, terraces, etc. 7. Workplaces, except workplaces situated in a private residence 8. Means of public transportation, taxis and other vehicles carrying two or more persons that must be used in the course of employment 9. Outdoor play areas intended for children that are open to the public, including splash pads, wading pools and skateparks 10.Many, many more 9
RECAP Our goals: 1. restrict youth access to cannabis 2. provide for a legal cannabis market capable of displacing the illegal market 3. deter criminal activity by imposing serious criminal penalties for those breaking the law 4. protect public health through strict product safety and quality requirements 5. reduce the burden on the criminal justice system 6. allow adults to possess and access regulated, quality controlled cannabis THAT IS TO SAY not solve the problem altogether, but yield better results. 10
TRANSMOUNTAIN PIPELINE Upholding the trust Canadians have placed in us to both grow our economy and protect our environment for future generations.
76,043 jobs are directly linked to Canada s crude oil sector. 710,000 jobs are directly and indirectly related to the oil and gas sector in Canada. THE CURRENT SITUATION. $41 billion is added to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the crude oil sector. 7.7% of our GDP in 2015 accounted for Canada s oil and gas sector. 12
MAKING THE TRANSITION TO A MORE DIVERSIFIED AND CLEANER ECONOMY 9% of Canada s GHG emissions come from the oil sands. 25% of Canada s GHG emissions come from the transport sector. 1 Investing in renewable and clean energy $243 million in research and development for renewable energy in 2016. $2 billion to help Canadian clean-tech companies grow. 2 Investing in public transit and green transport $182.5 million to expand the network of electric vehicle charging and alternative refuelling stations. $25.3 billion to support urban public transit across Canada and $1.3 billion in Montreal s REM. 3 Investing in our environment and oceans $26.9 billion in green infrastructure over the next 12 years. We increased the proportion of marine and coastal areas that are protected from 1% to nearly 8% and created the historic $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan. $1.3 billion in nature conservation. We have put forth an intergovernmental plan to meet or exceed our GHG reduction target of 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. 13
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF CANADA WHILE MAXIMIZING OUR CURRENT ECONOMY Finding new markets for our resources +99% of Canada s exports of oil and gas are headed to the United States. $7-15 billion are lost every year because of our reduced access to international markets. 14
THE MOST RIGOROUS PROCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN CANADIAN HISTORY 56% of Canadians support the project, while 24% oppose it. 55% of BC residents are favourable to the project compared to 37% who are opposed. 43 indigenous communities have signed benefit agreements, including 33 in BC. LISTENING TO CANADIANS Consulted indigenous communities who are potentially impacted by the project. Consulted Canadians over an unprecedented 2-year period. Held 44 public meetings and received over 20,000 emails about the project. OBTAINING SOCIAL LICENSE Co-developed an historic Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee. Received approval from the Alberta and British Columbia governments. Approved 157 conditions for the completion of the project. 15
HOW DID WE GET HERE? July 18, 2017 New Democratic government assumes office in British Columbia. April 8, 2018 Kinder Morgan suspends all nonessential operations because of the uncertainty. We were faced with a decision Possibly lose $150 billion over the next decade Possibly lose tens of thousands of jobs Possibly miss out on $6.8 billion in capital investment We bought Kinder Morgan s assets for $4.5 billion Make no mistake, this is an investment in the future of Canada. Important to remember Our government does not intend to keep the pipeline. 16
PAST INTERVENTIONS source: hibernia.ca Petro-Canada Hibernia Syncrude Date 1970s Date : 1990s Date : 1970s Sale 1990s-2000s Cost $2.7 billion Sale 1995 Revenues : $6 billion invested in new environmental technologies. Revenues $100 million every year in dividends. Revenues $14 billion for the federal government and Alberta. 17
THE CASE OF NORWAY Norway s Sovereign Wealth Fund Launched in 1998 to invest proceeds from oil to: A Green their economy B Ensure they had the safest way to ship their resources Based off the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund An investment for the future C Ensure that they are weaning themselves off fossil fuels Norway s prosperity fund currently contains $1.1 trillion, which is equal to $190,000 per person and more than twice the size of Norway s own economy. It is unmatched globally. 18
ASYLUM SEEKERS Ensuring that we are keeping Canadians safe, adhering to international obligations, and our values as Canadians.
65,000,000 people forcibly displaced around the globe. 20,000 asylum claims in Canada every year on average. 49,775 44,697 THE CURRENT SITUATION. asylum claims in Canada in 2017. [ PRES. TRUMP ] asylum claims in Canada in 2001. [ PRES. BUSH ] 20
THE ASYLUM SEEKING PROCESS We do not have jurisdiction over asylum seekers until they cross the border. What we have control over is what we do with them after. Situation 1 Situation 2 Entry in Canada through an Official Checkpoint Safe Third Country Agreement Final Text of the Safe Third Country Agreement This is the text of the Agreement that was signed by officials of Canada and the United States on December 5, 2002, as part of the Smart Border Action Plan. The Agreement allows both countries to more effectively manage the flow of refugee claimants. Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America For cooperation in the examination of refugee status claims from nationals of third countries THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (hereinafter referred to as the Parties ), CONSIDERING that Canada is a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, done at Geneva, July 28, 1951 (the Convention ), and the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, done at New York, January 31, 1967 (the Protocol ), that the United States is a party to the Protocol, and reaffirming their obligation to provide protection for refugees on their territory in accordance with these instruments; ACKNOWLEDGING in particular the international legal obligations of the Parties under the principle of non-refoulement set forth in the Convention and Protocol, as well as the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, done at New York, December 10, 1984 (the Torture Convention ) and reaffirming their mutual obligations to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Entry in Canada between Official Checkpoints 1951 Geneva Convention 21
WHAT ARE WE DOING TO KEEP CANADIANS SAFE? Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Enter Canada between ports of entry (POE). Arrest and detention by RCMP. Taken to nearest CBSA POE. Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Security and health checks. No one leaves without checks. Person is eligible to make an asylum claim. Hearing at Immigration and Refugee Board. If deemed inadmissible If deemed ineligible If rejected No entry in Canada Step 7 Accepted and given Protected Person Status 22
OUR GOVERNMENT S RESPONSE 1 Investing in frontline security Investing a record $173,2 million for those who keep Canadians safe at the border. 2 Expanding background checks Using biometrics, such as facial recognition, to confirm the identity of those seeking asylum in Canada. 3 Reducing the burden on social services Our government issued 14,000 work permits for border crossers in Quebec alone to minimize their reliance on our social services. Working closely with our partners in the U.S. to cross-reference our databases to ensure that no asylum seeker pose a threat to Canadians. 4 Cooperating with our provincial partners We invested $50 million to bolster provinces capacity to mitigate the situation. Investing $74 million in the Immigration Refugee Board to bolster its capacity to treat asylum claims. We created the Task Force on Irregular Migration. 23
OUR GOVERNMENT S RESPONSE 5 Sending government officials to counter misinformation Our government sent numerous Members of Parliament and other representatives to key U.S. communities to talk with potential migrant communities in their mother tongue. MP Dubourg MP Rodriguez Minister Hussen Working on modernizing the Safe Third Country Agreement with our American partners. 24
56% of asylum claims in 2016 were refused. 90% are on their feet within the next year of being accepted. They are not getting more money than our seniors. 90% of claims from Haitian nationals were rejected because they didn t meet the criteria. 97% of asylum seekers show up to their hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board. THE TRUTH ABOUT ASYLUM SEEKERS 25
MERCI! THANK YOU! Questions? 450-510-2305 223 avenue St-Charles, Vaudreuil-Dorion Peter.Schiefke@parl.gc.ca