OTTAWA - The federal government's crackdown on drug-impaired driving has taken a big step forward, as the Justice Department is set to give its blessing to Canada's first roadside saliva test. Once in use, police officers will be able to swab a driver's mouth to test for the presence of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Roadside saliva-testing devices were authorized by Bill C-46, a massive overhaul of Canadaas impaired driving laws that passed in June. [continues 705 words]
The government's leader in the Senate, Peter Harder, slammed the committee's removal of the provision OTTAWA - In a controversial move that may set up another showdown with the House of Commons, a Senate committee voted on Wednesday night to remove random alcohol testing from the government's impaired driving legislation. The provision would allow police to demand a breathalyzer test from any driver regardless of whether police had reasonable grounds to believe the driver had consumed alcohol. Currently police need that reasonable suspicion to make the breathalyzer demand, which drivers are punished for refusing. [continues 625 words]
OTTAWA - Last month, at a city council meeting in Kelowna, B.C., the ranking RCMP officer was giving his quarterly update on policing when a councillor posed a question about marijuana. "I know that when I go out for the evening, I can have a beer, and I know the alcohol content in that beer," said Coun. Ryan Donn. "I know that one would be a good limit for myself to have before getting in a car and driving. "When I think about cannabis, I really, truly have no idea," he went on. [continues 1462 words]
Tougher checks than exist for licence holders As the federal government inches closer to legalizing recreational marijuana by next summer, it is still figuring out where to draw the line on how much previous criminal history should disqualify someone from taking a senior role in the industry. In draft regulations released this week, the government proposes requiring everyone in "key positions" at licensed marijuana companies to hold a security clearance issued by the health minister's office. But it's also asking for feedback on whether people with "histories of non-violent, lower-risk criminal activity" should be allowed to pass security checks. [continues 722 words]
Now heads private firm in marijuana sector A New Democratic MP is warning of a 'clear appearance of conflict of interest' after it was revealed that a member of the government's marijuana legalization task force is now running a medical marijuana company. Raf Souccar, a former RCMP deputy commissioner, served on the independent task force that advised the government on legalizing recreational marijuana use. The task force filed its non-binding report on Nov. 30, 2016, and it was made public two weeks later. [continues 748 words]
OTTAWA - A long-running dispute between some provinces and Ottawa means only parts of the country can hand out tickets for federal statutory offences, and internal justice department reports have repeatedly warned about the consequences of this "uneven" application of law. The internal reports, written in 2010 and 2017, say that if ticketing agreements aren't signed with Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, it exposes the government to legal risk, exacerbates the trouble with court delays, and hampers the work of peace officers. [continues 626 words]
A proposed law that would allow police to take a roadside breath sample without evidence that a driver has been drinking was under scrutiny again in Parliament on Tuesday, as Canada's justice minister defended it against arguments it violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. "Questions around its constitutionality have been raised," Jody Wilson-Raybould, flanked by senior justice department officials, acknowledged to a House of Commons committee studying the bill. But she said she's confident mandatory alcohol screening would survive a court challenge, calling it "minimally intrusive, but the benefits in lives saved will be immeasurable." [continues 559 words]
Recent deaths prompt calls for harm-reduction policies instead of idea that substances can be banned from music events Two families are gathering for funerals this weekend, mourning after yet another Canadian music festival was hit by tragedy. Willard Amurao, 22, and Annie Truong-Le, 20, both died after taking what police have called "party drugs" at the VELD Music Festival in Downsview Park last weekend. Their deaths are prompting some to ask why festival organizers are so slow to adopt better strategies for preventing such deaths - strategies that focus on harm reduction, rather than acting out the charade they can be a drug-free zone. [continues 796 words]
Bad "party drugs" killed two people and sent 13 more to hospital at an electronic music festival in Downsview Park this weekend, Toronto police say. They are the latest casualties in a number of deaths and illnesses at Canadian music festivals this summer. Police said a 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman both died after ingesting the drugs at the Veld Music Festival. Deputy Chief Mark Saunders said it's not yet clear whether the deaths were from overdose or poison, but they are being investigated as possible homicides. He asked that anyone who purchased drugs at Veld turn them in immediately. [continues 575 words]
