This is a cut and paste from Canadian Students For A Sensible Drug Policy [CSSDP].
The results of the federal election are in: Canada has a new majority federal government. It was an exciting campaign as well as a nerve-racking and historic election night. What does CSSDP think about it all?
First, we unfortunately have to say good bye to those Members of Parliament who are not returning but who have been friends and allies to drug policy reform over their time in the House of Commons. Thank you to those MPs who fought for sensible drug policy during their time at Parliament!
One piece of good news is that the Green party has won a seat in the House of Commons, a first for the party and for Canada. The Green party is the only one out of the five main parties that ran on a platform explicitly including the full end to the prohibition of cannabis and a discussion on alternative regulation for all drugs. We are excited to hear what Green Party MP Elizabeth May has to say about drug policy issues during her time in the House.
Another noteworthy outcome of the vote was the election of the first NDP opposition government in Canada's history. The NDP have been steady in opposing legislation that further criminalizes drug use like Bill S-10 and calling for the federal government to support harm reduction initiatives. We look forward to continuing to work with the allies we have gained within the NDP party, and to work with new NDP MPs during the next four years.
The most important outcome of this election is that the Conservative party has been given the mandate to govern Canada for the next four years. The Conservative platform included several troubling policies, such as bunching all previous crime bills, including Bill S-10, into one 'superbill' and pass it within 100 days. The Conservative platform also called for 'drug free prisons' through the use of punitive policies.
Drug policy reformers certainly have their work cut out for them. Stephen Harper promised the Conservative party would be working right after the election. So will CSSDP. And we will keep working until sensible drug policies replace prohibition, and the criminalization of drug users has ended.
There's already a growing call for the end to drug prohibition in Canada and around the world. And we know there are NDP, Liberal, Green, and Bloc MPs, and even some Conservatives who support us. We know there are youth, students, adults, seniors, police officers, health workers, educators, business owners, investors, firefighters, artists, city councillors and more who support our goals. A Conservative majority government will not stop the momentum CSSDP has gained from growing even stronger.
CSSDP will be continuing our work at Parliament Hill, amplifying the voices of youth and students across the country calling for reform. CSSDP chapters will continue to work to make drug policy reform part of the discussion and political reality of their communities. In doing so we look forward to expanding the movement working to end the cruel, mindless, and wasteful criminalization of people through drug laws.
We need your support now more than ever. We will face many challenges, but we will continue to find opportunities. You can help the drug policy movement expand on any and every opportunity possible in this new political landscape. We need your support:
- Keep up the fight. You are an activist, whether you hit the streets in protest, write a letter to the local paper, volunteer with the local drug education or harm reduction program, or just talk about the issues with your friends. Your actions contribute to building the movement, no matter how big or small. We need to keep up the action.
- Tell your friends about CSSDP. A little word of mouth goes a long way. Join and share CSSDP updates and news on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube.
- Join or Start a CSSDP chapter. This is the time to start organizing. Check out www.cssdp.org/chapters to find out if there's one in your area. If not, contact us to help you start one. All it takes is a couple of people and the desire to make a difference.
- Donate. CSSDP needs your financial support to support and expand our youth and student chapter network. CSSDP needs your financial support to continue building our national projects such as the not4me.org resource, our annual Lobby Day, and the CSSDP national conference. Your financial support is needed now more than ever to continue our growth and help CSSDP build on our previous successes. Please visit www.cssdp.org/donate to become a monthly donor or to make a one-time donation.
None too happy.
WFDS
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