IMPAIRED MOTORIST LEGISLATION 'WILL SAVE LIVES': TORSNEY

Drug-impaired motorists will face stronger enforcement under legislation
that has been hailed by Burlington's Liberal MP, but rapped by her
political opponents.

Police will have increased authority under the federal legislation tabled.
Paddy Torsney welcomed her government's proposals.

"I am very pleased with the government's response to the special
committee's recommendation to resolve this issue by providing law
enforcement officials with a framework to investigate and charge for
drug-impaired driving," she said. "These amendments will make people think
twice about getting behind the wheel of any vehicle while impaired. We will
save lives."

Torsney chaired the special committee on the non-medical use of drugs,
which in December, 2002 tabled a unanimous report to Parliament, including
41 recommendations to strengthen Canada's drug laws.

The committee issued two further reports, including one which called for
action on drug-impaired driving.

The new legislation would amend the Criminal Code and give police the
authority to demand the following:

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs), where there is reasonable
suspicion that a driver has a drug in the body. These are divided-attention
tests administered at roadside.

Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluations where the officer reasonably
believes a drug-impaired driving offence was committed. This includes a
situation where the driver fails the SFFT. These are administered at the
police station.

A saliva, urine or blood sample, should the DRE officer identify that
impairment is caused by a specific family of drugs. Refusal to comply with
a demand would be a criminal offence.

DRE evaluations are an existing method of assisting police investigating
driving while impaired by any drug (over-the-counter, prescription or illegal).

DREs are currently in use in most of the United States, plus Australia, New
Zealand and some European countries.

To enhance law enforcement capacity to address drug impairment in across
the country, and as part of Canada's renewed drug strategy, the government
announced $910,000 in funding for DRE training over five years.

The RCMP has also allocated $4.1 million for a national DRE program.

"We need to move forward with the renewed Canada's Drug Strategy that
includes improved education for all Canadians that drug-impaired driving is
a crime with serious consequences," said Torsney.

But local Conservative candidate Mike Wallace said the Liberal government
should have moved a lot sooner on the issue.

"These are the types of tools police have been asking for," he said. "But
there has been complete inaction on the part of Liberals in removing
drivers from the road who are impaired by drugs or alcohol."

Wallace said he supports giving police tools to conduct tests, but wondered
why it has taken so long.

He said the Liberal government is trying to have it both ways on the drug
use issue.

"It's ironic they're promising to decriminalize marijuana, which is likely
to lead to greater use, while in the same breath they're recognizing the
impact of drugs as a danger to the general public," said Wallace.

He said the Liberal policy is off the mark on the marijuana issue.
"Personally, I think there's no use in decriminalizing the non-medical use
of marijuana," said Wallace. "This country does not need to be known for
its soft drug laws."

He noted police chiefs locally and across the nation also oppose
decriminalizing non-medical marijuana use.

The New Democratic Party candidate said a lot will depend on how the
program is implemented.

"I'm concerned about whether it's a violation of people's rights," said
David Laird. "There's a lot of emphasis on the criminal aspect, but we need
more emphasis on education and prevention."

He'd also like to look at statistics on the issue. "How much of a problem
is it and is the money being well-spent?"

Drug-impaired driving is already a Criminal Code offence that can result in
severe penalties -- the maximum penalty is life imprisonment when the
offence causes the death of another person.