Plan to ‘name and shame’ impaired drivers not coming to Maritimes anytime soon: Nova Scotia police

Nova Scotia RCMP say that although impaired driving is one of the leading factors in crashes in the province they don’t plan to follow the example set by York Regional Police earlier this month.

The Toronto-area police force has announced they will post the names of everyone charged with an impaired driving-related offence to their website each Monday, deciding to “name and shame” them.

READ MORE: York police name 16 drivers charged with impaired driving over weekend

“It’s not my decision to make a change to what the RCMP does nationally,”  said Corp. Jennifer Clarke, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia RCMP. “We are aware that York police is posting names of impaired drivers on their website.

“However, it’s not something that we are considering doing at this time.”

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WATCH: Naming and shaming drunk drivers

1:53 Naming and shaming drunk drivers

Halifax Regional Police also says it’s not planning on naming impaired drivers.

David Fraser, a lawyer with McInnes Cooper who specializes in privacy law, says police shouldn’t be doing it at all.

“I’m not a fan of the police getting involved in online shaming,” he said. “They’re a part of the criminal justice system, and a key part of that is that you’re innocent or presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and they’re short-circuiting that.

“I would suggest that any police agencies in the Maritimes think very carefully whether this is something they want to engage in because I think it’s problematic.”

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— With files from Whitney Middleton-Oickle