Stiffer penalties could bar newcomers from Canada
The federal government is warning newcomers that stiffer impaired driving and cannabis-related penalties could lead to their removal from Canada.
The measures are part of the sweeping package of changes taking place as Canada becomes the first G7 country to legalize recreational cannabis use.
The Cannabis Act includes penalties of up to 14 years in prison for illegal production or distribution of cannabis and for taking it across the Canadian border.
The same maximum penalty applies for giving or selling marijuana to someone under 18 or using a young person to commit a cannabis-related offence.
On Dec. 18, new impaired driving penalties take effect, and the maximum penalties for most of these offences will increase to 10 years from five. It means they will fall under the definition of serious crimes for immigration
determination purposes.
“The impact of these new penalties on permanent and temporary residents could be significant,” the Immigration Department advises in a statement.
The department quietly put up the statement on its website earlier this week as part of a notice to permanent and temporary residents advising them of the upcoming changes.
The posting is the first part of a multi-pronged education campaign to be rolled out in the coming weeks to ensure newcomers to Canada are informed of the impact that Canada’s new impaired driving laws could have on their ability to remain in Canada.
“Our main message to permanent residents and temporary residents is — make sure you know and follow our laws, including our tough new rules for cannabis-related crimes and impaired driving. If you don’t, you could face serious legal and immigration consequences,” said Mathieu Genest, a spokesperson for Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen.