OTTAWA —The New Democrats are urging the Liberal government to decriminalize pot before they legalize it.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on a promise to legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana, and his government plans to get started next spring.
Meanwhile, simple possession of marijuana remains a criminal offence.
The NDP is introducing an opposition day motion Monday calling on the House of Commons to recognize there is a contradiction in giving people criminal records for something the government has said should not be a crime.
The motion also calls on the government to decriminalize simple possession of marijuana for personal use immediately.
Trudeau has said he does not plan to decriminalize marijuana, arguing it gives a legal stream of income to criminal organizations.