New legislation doesn’t go far enough to bury past convictions for pot possession: experts

Experts are saying new federal cannabis legislation doesn’t go far enough in burying past convictions for simple possession of pot.

The legislation would make it quicker and cheaper to get a pardon but critics say it won’t be enough to right decades of problems caused by cannabis criminalization.

WATCH: Global News coverage of debate around pot possession convictions (2018) 

1:44 First major cannabis expo in Vancouver after legalization

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• Trudeau government to pardon minor pot possession offences
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• NDP urges expungement over pardon for Canadians’ simple pot possession convictions
• NDP urges expungement over pardon for Canadians’ simple pot possession convictions
• Canada announces plans to pardon small-scale pot possession offences
• Trudeau says pardoning process for pot will be ‘simplified,’ says legalization was needed
• Past marijuana conviction could still prevent U.S. border crossing
• Petition calling for pot pardons
• Should people with pot convictions be pardoned?

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Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says his new bill will waive the 631-dollar application fee and remove the usual five-year waiting period after a conviction before an application will be accepted.

A successful application seals a criminal record away, as long as the person convicted isn’t charged with any other criminal offences.

But a University of Toronto sociologist says completely expunging cannabis-possession records, which means destroying them entirely, is the only way for the government to recognize injustices.

Akwasi Owusu-Bempah says struggles with finding housing and employment are among the problems that people convicted of drug possession have to grapple with.

It’s a view shared by Toronto lawyer Annamaria Enenajor, who’s made expunging cannabis-possession records a cause.