POLICE, CROWN WELCOME TORY PLAN TO CRACKDOWN ON DRUG IMPAIRED DRIVERS

Legal officials might soon have some ammunition to convict drivers
who are suspected of driving under the influence of illegal drugs.

In House of Commons on Tuesday, Justice Minister Vic Toews tabled a
bill on drugs, similar to the existing law regarding driving while
under the influence of alcohol.

Under the proposed legislation, impaired drivers can be prosecuted
under Criminal Code of Canada, but the code is devoid of offences
specifically related to drug impairment. The Conservative government
wants to give police the hardware and authority to apprehend and test
drivers suspected of driving while drug-impaired.

"What this does is give the tools to police to detect drugged
drivers," Toews said yesterday from Ottawa.

Portage la Prairie RCMP Sgt. Jim Mirza was unable to say how large
the problem of drugged drivers is locally since the detachment
doesn't test for drugs, but said the bill will serve the legal community well.

"There's no way how we can statistically show (how many people are
driving while under the influence of drugs), but it must be a concern
if the federal government is addressing it," Mirza said yesterday.
"The government is being very proactive with impaired driving and now
it's not only with alcohol, so that's nice to see."

Portage head Crown attorney Larry Hodgson said the proposed
legislation will give the Crown's office and police officers more
evidence to work with when charging and prosecuting criminals.

"I think as prosecutors and with the police, this is an area where
we're seeing a lot of (drug) impaired drivers and we have difficulty
on how to deal with it," he said. "It's hard to obtain evidence to
take back to court."

Toews said under proposed changes to the Criminal Code, a roadside
test conducted by a police officer can lead to a request for a blood
or urine sample, which would be conducted at the local police
station. The initial test would include the indicators of drug use
such as overall appearance, behaviour, vital signs and appearance of eyes.

But officers have to be trained first, which will cost about $2
million per year.

Toews also said penalties will not depend on the type of drug taken
by a suspected impaired driver.

"The point is impairment, so it doesn't matter if it's alcohol,
cocaine or heroin," the justice minister said.

The bill is also designed to curb drug trafficking, making it a
criminal offence to be in control of a vehicle while in possession of
an illegal drug.

"I believe this has the benefit (of stopping) dial-a-dope drug
dealing for someone who is using a car to transport drugs," he said.

If approved, the new bill will likely mean more activity in the
courtroom. But Hodgson dismissed concerns the legislation will
further bog down an already-busy court system.

"I don't see it getting overpacked unless there are far more people
than I think are out there (driving while under the influence of
drugs)," he said.

The proposed legislation will follow the lead of the American police
system roadside tests, known as drug recognition evaluation, which
have been in place for the last 20 years.

Toews agreed the drug driving bill is a taste of things to come in
introducing more legislation on narcotics.

"We will be bringing up a minimum prison sentence for the production
and trafficking of drugs and more legislation on illegal drugs," the
justice minister said.