May 26, 2003

MADD to Minister: "Wait 'til you have checks and balances in place"

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada is calling on the Justice Minister to delay introduction of the Bill decriminalizing cannabis until proper laws are put into place that will allow police to effectively enforce drug impaired driving. MADD Canada met with Justice Minister Martin Cauchon last week and was told that new authorities for police may be forthcoming sometime next year.

"What the Minister told us is not good enough," says Andrew Murie, MADD Canada's National Executive Director. "The Government is moving forward with this decriminalization legislation and they are leaving the police at a disadvantage when attempting to enforce drug impaired driving. Police need new legislation to empower them to effectively detect and properly charge drug impaired drivers."

"We repeat our plea publicly today, Minister, wait 'til you have the proper checks and balances in place before you forge ahead with loosening drug laws." Mr. Murie adds, "To go ahead as the Minister and Government are doing is irresponsibly putting the public at risk."

Mr. Murie explained that the Minister's staff offered only excuses when confronted with MADD Canada's arguments to better protect drivers on Canadian roads. "They used excuses such as the lack of police training and Charter of Rights issues. Both, quite frankly, are not acceptable arguments and the Government needs to ensure proper laws are in place to cover off all ramifications of cannabis decriminalization before moving ahead."

Last year during the Senate study of this matter, MADD Canada set out a number of issues that would need to be addressed in parallel to any action to decriminalize cannabis. In recent correspondence, MADD Canada asked the Justice Minister to ensure that:

* there is an equivalent of the Criminal Code 253 (b) per se offence for individuals who are impaired by drugs;
* where Health Canada issues an exemption for the use of cannabis for medical reasons, there be given clear instructions not to drive while under the influence of this drug;
* enforcement officers across the country be given proper training in the drug recognition evaluation program; and,
* direction be sent to provincial attorney generals on the intent of the Federal Government's actions and what it means regarding the Federal Government's stand on impaired driving.
* According to MADD Canada, the Justice Minister has failed to address any of the organization's concerns.

More information on MADD Canada's statements and measures re drug impaired driving can be found on its website - www.madd.ca - in its November 2001 policy document Taking Back Our Roads, as well as a recent media release of May 13, 2003.

MADD Canada has, as one of its major policy initiatives, a measure that will enable police to deal with drug impaired driving situations. 'If a police officer reasonably suspects that a driver is impaired by a drug, drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs, the officer should be authorized to demand that the driver participate in a test under the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program.'

For more information, visit www.madd.ca, and/or call:

Andrew Murie, MADD Canada's National Executive Director
1-800-665-6233, ext. 224