STONED DRIVERS TARGETED

Proposed Law Would Expand Police Powers

OTTAWA - Police who suspect an unconscious driver involved in a
serious crash was high on drugs will be able to seek a warrant for a
blood sample under planned federal legislation.

Justice department officials said yesterday that they support
expanding the Criminal Code to cover suspected drug-impaired drivers,
not just drunk drivers.

The plan is included in the government's official response to an
all-party committee's recommendations on impaired driving.

The committee suggested changing the Criminal Code to allow police to
telephone a judge to ask for warrants to get a blood sample from a
suspected drug-impaired driver who is unconscious or unable to give
consent for some other reason. Seeking a warrant would be possible
after accidents involving injury or death.

Justice Minister Anne McLellan has already acted on most of the
committee's other recommendations with stiffer drunk-driving laws that
came into force this summer. The changes included increased fines,
jail time and driving prohibitions.

A controversial proposal to allow judges to impose a life sentence on
drunk drivers who kill was left out of the bill in order to ensure its
quick passage into law.

However, the government plans to reintroduce a proposal to raise the
maximum penalty for impaired driving causing death from the current 14
years in prison to life.

McLellan also said yesterday her officials are working on plans for a
crackdown on drivers who flee police.

Liberal MP Dan McTeague (Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge) has introduced a
private member's bill calling for a sentence as severe as life
imprisonment for people responsible for police chases that result in
someone's death.

McLellan said dealing with drivers is only part of the
solution.

``You've got to look at the whole question of police chases, the
policies that every police department and provincial ministries of
justice have in place surrounding police chases,'' she said.