TOEWS READY TO THROW BOOK AT IMPAIRED DRIVERS

By KATHLEEN HARRIS, OTTAWA BUREAU

OTTAWA -- The Conservative government is beefing up penalties for drunk
drivers who kill or maim and cracking down on motorists who smoke weed
before getting behind the wheel.

Critics said the proposed blood or urine tests that will be used to nab
drug-impaired drivers are too intrusive and won't pass constitutional
muster, but Justice Minister Vic Toews insisted it's a "minimal intrusion"
that's justified under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Similar measures
have been in place for years in other jurisdictions like the U.S., he said.

NO STANDARD

"We are very pleased to be bringing this kind of tool forward for the
police to use in our jurisdiction," he said.

But NDP MP Joe Comartin said there is no standardized measure for
impairment for marijuana or other drugs -- and that will make it difficult
for any charge to win a conviction in court.

Liberal Leader Bill Graham agrees with the "thrust" of the bill, but wants
to give it careful study to determine if it would withstand a charter
challenge.

The Conservative bill outlines a series of measures to determine drug
impairment, including a roadside test by police officer followed by an
examination at the police station by an officer specially trained to
recognize signs of drug use. The final step is a followed by a demand for a
blood or urine sample.

LIFE IN PRISON

The bill also increases the sentence to life in prison for alcohol-impaired
driving causing death, and to 10 years for causing bodily harm.

The fine for a first offence of simple impaired driving would increase to
$1,000 from $600, and jail terms for second and third offences would
increase to 30 and 120 days from the previous 14 and 90.

MADD Canada CEO Andrew Murie applauded the measures and said Canada lags
far behind other countries in tackling impaired driving.

Drug-impaired drivers are now responsible for about 10% of all fatal road
crashes, and he believes new laws will act as a deterrent.