Honourable senators, I rise to speak at third reading of Bill C-45.

Bill C-45 must promote the health and safety of Canadians. It must be based on facts, evidence and research findings. Many issues were raised during the time we have had to analyze the bill. In its original form, Bill C-45 was far from perfect, as demonstrated by the 44-plus amendments, including the 29 technical ones that have so far been adopted. We have progressed.

I wish to recognize the diligent work of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology for their scrutiny of Bill C-45 and the complementary work done by the other committees that have studied the bill. I also want to thank the sponsor, Senator Dean, for his work in shepherding Bill C-45 through the Senate.

We are in our last days of the review of the bill. Today the theme of discussion is public health, consumption and Indigenous issues. I will make remarks with regard to risk exposure of vulnerable populations, namely, young people and First Nations and Aboriginal people.

The existing regime of prohibition and criminalization of cannabis use for recreational purposes presents a high level of risk for youth — criminality, organized crime, health risks. The regime proposed in Bill C-45 moves recreational cannabis to a legalized substance, widely available under some controls. The new regime creates a profit-seeking industry, companies are chomping at the bit to sell cannabis on the licit market. The jump from total prohibition to legalization and the creation of a new commercial sector, including the creation of a cannabis lobby that we can reasonably expect will push to loosen regulations — will present challenges in implementation, public education and enforcement. According to policy experts and officials speaking to their experience in other jurisdictions where cannabis has been decriminalized or legalized, the new regime poses equally high risks to youth.

To say that, once legalized, the societal and health problems related to cannabis use will be solved is to ignore what we heard during the study of Bill C-45.

I cannot hide that I am apprehensive of this major shift which will happen without a logical, stepwise transition. My instinct is to proceed cautiously and to make every effort to reduce risk to vulnerable populations. I still believe that decriminalization and limited sales points where strictly controlled cannabis products are available would be a better way to achieve government objectives and reduce harms and risks associated with cannabis use and abuse. To ensure that fewer young people use cannabis, it is vital that profit-seeking corporations are prevented from advertisements and promotions that appeal to youth as with alcohol and tobacco.

In my mind, we should logically expect companies to aim to increase consumption of the substance they are selling to the public. Legalization and availability of cannabis on the licit market will likely increase consumption of cannabis at least for an initial period. To claim the contrary is dishonest.

If the taxes collected from cannabis sales will pay for infrastructure, controls, services, education, health programs and scientific research, a lot of cannabis will have to be sold and consumed. However, adults will also be allowed to cultivate and produce their own cannabis. By my evaluation, the numbers don’t add up. I have yet to see a realistic estimate of the costs versus revenue, or estimates of how much cannabis will have to be sold per capita to pay for the legalized regime and still beat organized crime.

First Nations and Aboriginal communities will face greater risks from cannabis legalization. They already struggle with problems such as alcohol and drug abuse and high suicide rates. To ignore these facts is irresponsible.

Some communities want the possibility of an opt-in/opt-out system where they can decide whether to ban or allow cannabis. Some communities want to claim excise tax and revenues to fund education and social awareness programs. Surely the tax revenue will be proportional to the sales and proportional to consumption. To me, this is like spinning in circles.

In the last few decades, hundreds of medical and psychological studies have been conducted revealing the negative impact of cannabis use on the developing brain. Besides short-term impairment, cannabis may affect cognition in the longer term via various brain mechanisms and at various degrees of irreversibility if cannabis use is stopped.

Cannabis use may affect brain function in young people, handicapping planning, reasoning, inhibitory processes, self-monitoring and problem-solving. Medical research has found that these effects may be linked to potency, frequency and modes of intake of cannabis compounds. Recent research studies have found a relationship between cannabis use and psychotic events. We must monitor these effects to fully understand the effects of cannabis on the developing brain.

Thus, I am strongly supportive of the observation made by the committee urging that the federal government fund an ongoing research initiative on the impact of cannabis use on the developing brain. By collecting data on the demographics of which age groups are using cannabis, what form of cannabis, how it is ingested and the potency of cannabis use, scientists and public health officials will hopefully be able to assess, using an unbiased scientific method, the effect of cannabis use on Canadians.

A high percentage of young Canadians are already using cannabis and a majority of senators seem sure that Bill C-45 will reduce these sad statistics. I really hope so. I will never get tired of repeating that young people are our intellectual and social capital and we must protect them. Otherwise we fail as a society.

I share the concerns raised by my colleagues about making cannabis widely available to Aboriginal youth. I support the recommendations made by the Aboriginal Peoples Committee to ensure that the development of educational programs and materials as well as funding for mental health and addiction programs are culturally adapted to their specific needs.

As smoking can lead to serious health problems, Canadians have a right to a smoke-free environment, whether it is from tobacco or cannabis. It’s vital to monitor the use of cannabis in schools and safety-sensitive workplaces.

While I am not completely satisfied that the issues raised by Bill C-45 were addressed through amendments, it is my view that the amendments as well as observations and recommendations raised at committee and in this chamber do strengthen the bill. Bill C-45, with these amendments, is now more robust than its initial form. I am looking forward to hearing back from the government and learning that they took into consideration the observations and recommendations made by the Senate. The government must focus on continuing education to young people and vulnerable populations about the risk of using cannabis.

With these considerations in mind, I will vote in favour of the motion for third reading of Bill C-45.

Honourable senators, by this time next year I will be asking about the outcome of Bill C-45 and the results and challenges of the implementation of a legalized cannabis framework. I will request government accountability if this legislation fails to attain the desired public health outcomes. Thank you.