A senate committee is recommending that federal law should specify that the provinces have the power to decide whether or not they want to authorize the cultivation of cannabis at home.
Quebec and several other provinces have said they do not want people to grow marijuana at home, and have been lobbying for the legislation to be very clear on that point.
Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jean-Marc Fournier presented his arguments to the committee several days ago and convinced the senators of the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
Fournier argued that the provinces had full constitutional jurisdiction to prohibit home-grown marijuana farming, but that clarification was needed to dispel any doubt.
In a report released late Tuesday, the Senate committee unanimously proposes amending Bill C-45 on the legalization of cannabis to clarify the authority of the provinces and territories to legislate the authorization of possession, cultivation, propagation and / or the harvesting of cannabis plants in specified places, including the power to prohibit them.
The committee is also recommending a country-wide ban on growing cannabis at home.
The legislation being debated in the House of Commons would allow for the cultivation of up to four cannabis plants per household.
It is now up to the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee to propose amendments to the bill, which should be submitted to a final vote no later than June 7 in the upper house.
