The countries of Canada and Mexico may have to plead their case before the mighty United Nations if they wish to legalize marijuana, lest they violate several international conventions that govern the global war on drugs.

This information comes from a briefing note received by new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau’s Liberal Party came to power late last year and part of their platform involves the legalization of cannabis nationwide.

“As part of examining legalization of cannabis possession and production, Canada will need to explore how to inform the international community and will have to take the steps needed to adjust its obligations under these conventions,” said the note, prepared for Trudeau by his staff.

This informing will apparently take place at the big special session that is scheduled at The United Nations in New York in April. There Canada, and several other countries, will have to make their case to the UN for legalization. Mexico will presumably have to follow this route as well if they plan on legalizing, something legislators there will start debating later this month.

While I understand the purpose of treaties, one has to wonder how the treaties in question will be enforced; treaties that the Trudeau government didn’t sign in the first place. Let’s say Canada doesn’t bow to the UN and legalizes marijuana anyway; what happens then? Will the UN recommend sanctions? If so, will the United States support that considering the fact that the federal government is currently taking a hands-off approach to state legalization here at home? Would the feds support sanctions against our ally to the north over something they are allowing states to experiment with?

It’s very unlikely, and without U.S. support, what exactly in the UN going to do? Invade Canada? With what, the blue-helmeted peacekeepers? Even more unlikely.

Despite this, I’m sure the Liberals in Canada will make their case before the UN in April. After all, it would be the polite, Canadian thing to do. The Canadians are also big proponents of government , whether it is their own or the “global government” of the UN.

This penchant for big government will also shape legalization in Canada itself. It would not be surprising in the least if the Trudeau government – after years upon years of study – decided that the best course of action would be for the government itself to run the legal marijuana industry instead of letting the free market decide important things like price and quality.

Can you imagine what government grown marijuana would be like? Low grade, high priced ditch weed that would leave the black market intact as the only place did get the good stuff is the probable result. I would urge my friends north of the border to resist that plan of action and make it clear to their new government that the cannabis industry should be allowed to flourish with minimal taxation and regulation.

I would also advise the Canadian government to tell the UN to go pound sand and legalize marijuana as they promised they would during last year’s election. Something tells me, however, that a different path will be taken.