OTTAWA – A Saskatchewan MP wants to toughen up Canada’s drunk driving laws.
Prince Albert MP Randy Hoback introduced a private member’s bill on Wednesday that would amend sections of the Criminal Code to impose stiffer penalties.
Under the proposed bill, anyone convicted for the first time of driving with more than double the legal blood alcohol limit would receive a minimum fine of $2,000 along with a minimum of 60 days in jail.
Subsequent convictions would result in a minimum of 240 days in jail.
“According to Statistics Canada, almost half of fatally injured drivers had a blood alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit,” said Hoback in a release.
“This level of impairment has had a devastating impact on our youth, as they make up 31 per cent of alcohol related deaths.”
Hoback also wants additional penalties for those convicted of harming or killing anyone while over the legal limit.
For a first offence, a person would be fined at least $5,000 along with a minimum of 120 days in jail with subsequent offences carrying a minimum of 12 months in jail.
Under current legislation, anyone convicted of drunk driving is subject to a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first offence, at least 30 days in jail for a second offence and a minimum 120 days in jail for third and subsequent convictions.
Currently, anyone convicted of harming someone while driving impaired can face a maximum of 10 years in jail while convictions for impaired driving causing death can result in up to life in prison.
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