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.

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