Applications due: April 19, 2022
Impact with purpose

“People of today should not bear the burden of the laws of yesterday; while the world has changed and we are able to profit from the industry, it is our civic duty to liberate those who do not enjoy this privilege.”
-Drew Henson
Founder/CEO of TOQi, makers of intuitive cannabis technology.
TOQi has taken charge in leading the Fellowship opportunity, which will fund and support Cannabis Amnesty to hire two paid summer interns with the support of Aurora Cannabis.
About Cannabis Amnesty
As lawyers, activists and academics, we are acutely aware that historically, cannabis laws were unequally enforced by law enforcement in Canada, disproportionately impacting Black and Indigenous communities. Cannabis convictions limit economic opportunities for these groups, thus further entrenching systemic racism through poverty and disenfranchisement.
As Canadians benefit and prosper from the legalization of cannabis, these groups continue to suffer. One of the central objectives of Cannabis Amnesty is to disrupt the way that systemic racism in the criminal justice system has created barriers to economic opportunity for marginalized communities.
Cannabis Amnesty is a registered not-for-profit organization focused on righting the historical wrongs caused by decades of cannabis criminalization, particularly its impact on racialized communities. Since 2018, Cannabis Amnesty has been at the forefront of advocating for justice and fairness on behalf of those who continue to suffer as a result of cannabis convictions. We challenge the stigma of cannabis convictions, lobby the government on behalf of communities harmed by criminalization and champion equity within the cannabis industry. Learn more at www.cannabisamnesty.ca and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
2022 Summer Paid-Internship
May 16, 2022 to August 12, 2022
ROLE DESCRIPTION
The TOQi Fellowship is a 12-week internship program that takes place in Toronto, Ontario–the location of the headquarters of Cannabis Amnesty. Two interns will be hired. The Fellowship will run from May 16, 2022 to August 12, 2022.
This Fellowship program is focused on mentorship and skill-building around effective communication and advocacy in the not-for-profit sector, particularly as it engages with government and the for-profit cannabis industry. Interns will be directly supervised and mentored by the Cannabis Amnesty Board members, with the support of TOQi CEO, Drew Henson. Interns will also have the opportunity to engage with program partner, Aurora Cannabis, to learn more about the cannabis industry.

Post-secondary education is an asset but not required. We understand systemic barriers exist that exclude people from marginalized communities from these institutions.

We strongly encourage applicants who identify as BIPOC, underrepresented community members and those who have been affected by cannabis prohibition.
500K+
Estimated lives affected
While difficult to pin an exact number, it is estimated that 500K+ Canadians have records for cannabis-related offences
<500
Canadian records cleared
Since the government passed Bill C-93 to provide expedited pardons for simple cannabis possession offences in 2019, less than 500 pardons have actually been granted.
1
Moment
The amount of time it takes to share this Fellowship to help get the message where it needs to go.