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e-190 (Tax system)

E-petition
Initiated by Hilary Black from Vancouver, British Columbia

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Minister of Finance

Whereas:
  • Tens of thousands of Canadians have received authorizations for medical cannabis from their healthcare provider to treat a host of symptoms and medical conditions;
  • The cost of this medication is currently subject to federal and provincial sales tax. This is inconsistent with treatment of other prescription drugs that are zero-rated by the Canada Revenue Agency;
  • On December 16, 2012, then Minister of Health, the Hon. Leona Aglukkaq stated that her mandate was “to treat marihuana as much as possible like any other narcotic used for medical purposes”;
  • As outlined in the Excise Tax Act, drugs that are authorized by a healthcare practitioner and which are not available “over the counter,” are zero-rated;
  • The sales tax on medical cannabis represents an inconsistent financial burden for patients who are authorized to use cannabis; and
  • Ensuring that medical patients pay no tax for medicine is important and could be remedied quickly and independently of any other cannabis policy reform.
We, the undersigned, Medical Cannabis Patients of Canada and our supporters, call upon the Minister of Finance to:
Amend tax legislation to ensure medical cannabis is treated consistently with other medical necessities and is zero-rated, exempt from sales tax;
Apply this retroactively; and
Ensure that policies on the taxation of medical cannabis are fair and just, and that they honour the spirit of our legislation, which clearly states medical necessities are exempt from sales tax.
Government response tabled on January 30, 2017 (Sessional Paper No. 8545-421-1-09)
Open for signature
February 15, 2016, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
June 14, 2016, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Lloyd Longfield (Guelph)
December 7, 2016 (Petition No. 421-01025)
Government response tabled
January 30, 2017
Photo - Lloyd Longfield
Guelph
Liberal Caucus
Ontario