Marijuana Party and Associations Deregistered

Summary#

The Canada Gazette notice says the Marijuana Party and four of its local electoral district associations are being deregistered under the Canada Elections Act. The deregistration takes effect on October 31, 2025 and the notice is dated October 1, 2025 and signed by Stéphane Perrault.

What it does#

• Removes the official registration of the Marijuana Party under the Canada Elections Act.
• Deregisters these affiliated electoral district associations, effective October 31, 2025:
  • Essex Marijuana Party (EMP)
  • Parti Marijuana de Québec (PMQ)
  • Thunder Bay–Superior North Marijuana Party
  • Windsor–Tecumseh Parti Marijuana Party
• The Gazette entry says this action is because of a “failure to comply with the obligations of sections 412 and 415” of the Canada Elections Act, but it does not explain exactly which obligations were unmet.
• The notice is signed by Stéphane Perrault (Chief Electoral Officer) on October 1, 2025.

Who's affected#

• Members, organizers and officials of the Marijuana Party and the four listed local associations.
• People who planned to run as candidates under the Marijuana Party or who support it.
• Voters in the districts named above, who may see changes in which parties appear on ballots.
• Donors, volunteers and anyone tracking small or single-issue parties in Canadian politics.

Why it matters#

• Being deregistered removes a party’s official status. The Gazette notice does not list the specific practical effects, but deregistration usually changes how a party appears on ballots and can affect campaign finance and formal party privileges.
• For candidates, volunteers and voters, the change can affect how the party can participate in future elections and how it is listed in official election materials.
• For the public, it’s an example of Elections Canada enforcing reporting or administrative rules for registered parties; the notice itself does not provide full detail on the underlying compliance problems.