The following was taken from the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy Web site
Drug legislation update - June 22, 1996
On June 19, 1996, the Senate passed Bill C-8, the proposed Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. It then sent the Bill to the House of Commons so that the House of Commons could approve the minor changes that the Senate had proposed to the Bill. The House of Commons approved the changes on June 20 and the Bill was given Royal Assent the same day. That means that Bill C-8 has now been enacted. However, the Bill is likely not yet in force, since the Bill comes into force only on a date set by the Governor in Council (in practical terms, the federal Cabinet makes this decision).
Once the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act comes into force, it will replace Canada's main laws on "illicit" drugs -- the Narcotic Control Act and parts of the Food and Drugs Act. The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act significantly expands the reach of Canada's drug laws and continues Canada's heavy reliance on a failed policy of criminal prohibition. Parliament -- both the House of Commons and the Senate -- has thus refused to moderate the harshness of the present law, and has in fact expanded the reach of Canada's drug laws.
The government is planning a drug policy review, now that they've cemented in new laws for the old policy.