Don’t rush pot pardons

As soon as the bill legalizing recreational marijuana is enacted, Victoria MP Murray Rankin intends to introduce a private member’s bill that would expunge the criminal records of those who have been convicted for minor possession of marijuana.

The question of pardoning people is legitimate, says Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, but he also said the government will wait to deal with that until the law has taken effect to make sure everyone is treated fairly.

It’s true that penalties for simple marijuana possession have at times been out of proportion to the offence, and decriminalization is long overdue. But those who possessed pot did so knowing they were breaking the law. Most likely knew that having a criminal record could be a barrier to employment prospects and travel abroad.

Not all possession convictions are equal; we’re not just talking about people unlucky enough to be caught with a bag of weed. In recent years, it has not been uncommon for people caught dealing marijuana to accept an offer to plead guilty to possession, rather than face a more serious trafficking charge. Wide-eyed innocents they are not.

Goodale indicates the government intends to reform the pardons system. That’s a better route than amnesty, especially if the process is simplified and affordable.

The law might have needed changing, but it was the law, and those who broke it knowingly shouldn’t get an automatic free ride.