Cannabis is legal in Canada: Why are Canadians still carrying the burden of legacy non-violent cannabis convictions?
The Flowr Corporation is partnering with Pardons Canada to build support for a national pardon
More than two years after Canada led the world in legalizing the use of recreational cannabis, the federal government continues to lag on a related measure: expunging the criminal records of those with non-violent, minor cannabis-related convictions. Toronto-based cannabis company The Flowr Corporation [TSX.V: FLWR; OTC: FLWPF] is aiming not only to focus attention on the issue, but has donated $100,000 (with an additional $100,000 from company directors, officers and employees) to non-profit Pardons Canada to cover the costs associated with processing hundreds of pardons.
Tom Flow, co-founder of Flowr, sees the issue as one of simple fairness. More than 50,000 Canadians still carry criminal records for non-violent legacy cannabis convictions dating back 20 years or more. They continue to face limitations on employment, renting a home, outof-country travel and volunteer opportunities for prior activities — such as simple possession or cultivation of a few plants for personal or medical use — that are now legal.
In a recent open letter to performer Justin Bieber, Flow encouraged the Canadian superstar to sign the petition and use his considerable influence to engage fans in support of a blanket federal pardon. He called on Bieber to join the cause of raising awareness about the need to free Canadians from non-violent cannabis convictions. Pardons Canada chipped in by sponsoring billboards in Los Angeles, Toronto and Kelowna calling on Bieber to support the cause as well.
“The Canadian cannabis industry is spurring billions of dollars in economic activity and has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax revenue for provinces and the federal government,” says Flow. “But the cannabis industry didn’t spring up from nowhere. Its success was built on the expertise and talent that existed in the cannabis grey market before legalization.”
Flow likewise attributes much of the success of Flowr, which prides itself on building on Canada’s historic cannabis legacy, to those who first developed worldclass cultivation methods. The company chose Pardons Canada as the recipient of the donation precisely because many members of its own team were pardoned through the organization’s efforts.
“Members of our founding team were critical in bringing a lot of the knowhow and quality of the legacy cannabis industry to Flowr’s growing facilities in Kelowna, BC,” he says. “Their knowledge ranged from genetics to cultivation techniques, and building and system design that, without the efforts of Pardons Canada, would not have allowed them to participate as founders, shareholders and employees. These pardons removed the stigma of their previous records and allowed them to transition successfully into the legal industry.”
While piecemeal federal legislation has attempted to remove some of the barriers to applying for a pardon, the process is still arduous. It can take up to 18 months and requires significant effort on the part of the applicant, including the associated costs of providing supporting paperwork. In some cases, applicants have found it challenging even to produce the records of the original charges that led to their convictions. Organizations such as Pardons Canada have proved essential in guiding applicants through the process.
Also problematic is the fact that many people who guard their conviction records as a secret are unaware of the existence of a path forward to pardon. That’s why Flowr recently launched its “Nothing to Hide” campaign, which encourages pre-legalization cannabis consumers to engage in more open and honest conversations about cannabis use.
Jurisdictions such as New York State have already demonstrated a simple way forward. New York issued blanket pardons for all non-violent cannabis-related convictions at the same time as it legalized the use of recreational cannabis in March 2021.
“We believe the same type of blanket pardon could be achieved in Canada,” says Flow. “That would take everyone with legacy records out of the shadows and allow them to live their lives with the same freedom and lack of restrictions and stigma which cannabis consumers enjoy today.”
Flowr, in partnership with Pardons Canada, has launched a petition at www. change.org/flowerpardons, calling on the Canadian government to expunge the convictions of these citizens through blanket federal legislation. The petition has quickly amassed more than 500 signatures for the cause.
“We need the government to understand that this is a matter of fairness,” says Flow. “Canadians can send a message that they believe this is important to get done.”
To sign the petition encouraging the Canadian government to pass legislation to expunge records of non-violent cannabis-related convictions, visit www. change.org/flowerpardons.