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OTTAWA — Opposition parties and legal experts are urging the Liberal government to be clear on how it plans to handle the legalization of cannabis while Canada remains party to three UN treaties that control and criminalize drug access, noting failure to provide clarity soon could cause confusion on the world stage.

Canada needed to give notice on July 1 if it intended to withdraw from the treaties and stick to its plan to legalize marijuana by this time next year, said Steven Hoffman, a York University professor who specializes in global health law.

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It didn’t, and Hoffman said he is concerned about the message this sends.

“The lack of clarity around how the federal government is going to address its international legal obligations under the UN drug control treaties is concerning given it sends the message to countries around the world … that our international law obligations are not at the forefront of our minds,” Hoffman said.