Pubdate: Wed, 22 Nov 2006
Source: Scope, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 Simcoe-York Printing & Publishing Limited
Contact:  http://www.innisfilscope.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4360
Author: Peter Van Loan, MP York-Simcoe

TAKING ACTION TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY

Canada's New Government Will Introduce Drug-Impaired Driving Legislation

Canada's New Government will take action to help police keep drug
impaired drivers off the road. We hope to make drug-impaired driving
as socially unacceptable as drunk driving has become amongst adults
and teens alike.

Our Government recognizes the need to target drug-impaired driving. We
are prepared to take action to prevent future drugimpaired incidents.
The objective of the proposed legislation is to avoid reckless deaths
and injuries of innocent people.

For many years Mothers Against Drunk Driving has been working to raise
awareness and to crack down on impaired drivers. Over the past year we
have significantly stepped up our campaign to target both alcohol and
drug impairment. It is particularly gratifying to be part of a
government that will take meaningful steps to save the lives of
innocent Canadians.

Under the proposed legislation Canada's new government
will:

- - Provide police with more tools to detect drugimpaired
drivers;

- - Increase penalties for drug-impaired driving;

- - Strengthen presumptions of breath and blood tests;
and

- - Promote awareness about drug-impaired driving with partners like
MADD.

Drug-impaired driving often has terrible consequences for people,
families and communities. Government, police, parents and
organizations like MADD can work together to save lives and make our
community safer by educating Canadians about the dangers of driving
high.

Cracking down on drugimpaired driving is just one of a number of
initiatives to tackle crime Canada's new Government has introduced
since January. These include legislation to:

- - Impose stricter conditions on dangerous offenders;

- - End conditional sentences (require jail time rather than house
arrest) for serious offences;

- - Implement mandatory minimum sentences for crimes involving guns;
and

- - Crack down on street racing.

Canada's new Government is protecting the safety and security of the
residents of York- Simcoe!
- ---
MAP posted-by: Derek