OTTAWA -- With the federal government鈥檚 promised pot pardon bill yet to be tabled, NDP MP Murray Rankin is poised to make one final plea for the Liberals to back his bill for expungements.

Before last month鈥檚 cannabis legalization in Canada, Rankin tabled Bill C-415, a private members鈥� bill that if passed, would expunge the records of anyone who carries a criminal record for past minor, non-violent pot possession convictions. Essentially, if it鈥檚 now legal, and you were charged in the past, Rankin thinks your record should be wiped -- including from any federal database, such as the overseen by the RCMP.

He brought forward the bill at a time when the federal Liberals had said they wouldn鈥檛 be considering forgiving past cannabis convictions until after the drug was legalized.

Then, the day marijuana became legalized, the federal government announced it would be tabling a bill to issue pardons, and not expungements, to Canadians who have criminal records for past simple possession charges.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said that the legislation would be coming before the end of 2018, meaning it could be some time before those pardons are granted as the legislation moves its way through the legislative process.

This move was criticized by the NDP who argued it鈥檚 a half-measure.

An expungement would destroy or remove any record of a conviction, while a pardon is a forgiveness for a past conviction that seals the record but does not erase it, and can still pose issues at the border. Though, pardons are viewed as beneficial for people to participate in society, from volunteering, to finding work.

Now, with the federal bill yet to be tabled, Rankin鈥檚 bill is coming up for debate in the House of Commons on Friday afternoon. There, he鈥檚 likely to hear the fate of his proposal.

Rankin said he has had promises of support from members of all parties, but that he鈥檚 not sure if that鈥檒l translate into support from the governing Liberals, or Opposition Conservatives.

A spokesperson for Goodale told CTVNews.ca that the government will announce its position during debate on the bill.

Undeterred by the promise of a federal plan, Rankin said peoples鈥� lives are on hold now, by continuing to hold these criminal records for acts that are now legal.

鈥淢ine would solve the problem we鈥檙e both trying to solve. Their's may, but perhaps may not solve that problem. Why wouldn鈥檛 they go so far as to get it right, take no chances on getting it wrong,鈥� Rankin said in a recent interview with CTVNews.ca,

By Rankin鈥檚 estimate, there are hundreds of thousands of Canadians who carry personal possession charges for marijuana.

Asked if it is still the government鈥檚 plan to table legislation before the New Year, a spokesperson for Goodale said in a statement to CTVNews.ca that 鈥渨ork on legislation is underway and we will provide an update in due course.鈥�

Under the federal system, pardons will be available to any Canadians who have criminal records for cases of possession of 30 grams or less, aligning with the new recreational legalized cannabis regime.

Once the sentence has been served, those eligible for the pardons will have access to an application immediately, with no waiting period or fee to apply. Currently, pardons, or record suspensions can sought through the Parole Board of Canada, for a fee of $631, five years after serving your sentence.

When asked why the government is taking the pardons route, Goodale has previously said expungements should be reserved for instances of "profound historical injustice that needed to be corrected," and that he doesn't consider past pot charges to fit this description.

Rankin disagrees with this, calling it an arbitrary distinction, citing research has shown that the application of past marijuana laws disproportionately penalized people of colour.

The NDP MP and justice critic also raised concern with the fact that with pardons, past records can be retained by various agencies, leaving already disenfranchised people open to future discrimination, including from landlords and prospective employers, despite rules meant to prevent this.

Though, Goodale鈥檚 office said that pardons are a better option because you can retrieve records needed to apply for entry into the United States, and that pardoned criminal records can only be disclosed in exceptional circumstances.