Justice Committee on Feb. 12th, 2008

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

It's very interesting when new people go on the interlock. They always test it to see if it actually works. So they actually take a couple of drinks, blow into it, and then find out it does work.

The second thing is there are a lot of phone calls in the first month, early in the morning, saying that the interlock doesn't work. What happens is they've been out drinking all night long, they've had five hours of sleep, and they have an elevated BAC. When they go to start the vehicle, they think that because they've done this all their life, their blood alcohol has gone away in those few short hours. In fact, it prevents them from driving in the morning. So it teaches them how to separate their drinking from their driving. That's one of the behavioural changes.

The cost is significant at $150, but if you work it out, it's about a drink a day. They have to reduce their drinking to be able to use the interlock kit effectively. So it actually pays for itself at the end of the time.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Réal Ménard]

You're already nearing the eight-minute mark.

You have time for one last question, Mr. Bagnell. After that, we will move on to two housekeeping items that the clerk has brought to my attention. You have the last word.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

I just have a comment first, as much for the committee as for the members. MADD made a suggestion that sounded great, and normally it would be great, that you would have the thing, but in two years it would automatically go away if there was no reoffence. Had I not been a member of Parliament, and perhaps one beside the United States, I would have thought that was great. The problem is that when you get a record, it doesn't go away in the United States. There are ways to pay and get it off, year by year, but it's a pain in the neck. We've had all sorts of cases.

But that's not my question, and I only get one question.

Mr. White, I feel sorry that you've been here for two hours and no one has asked you a question. I had one for my first round, and that was whether there are other things the automobile industry is coming up with that would be able to stop all of us from drinking and driving. Are there things on the research drawing board that would stop everyone, whether or not they've been convicted, that would be part of a car's mechanism?

[Chris White]

Not that we've seen. But to the point that everyone has raised, I think an interlock is clearly one of the most revolutionary pieces of technology. Of course, the cost is prohibitive. I think it's somewhat analogous, though, to what we see with a lot of the higher-end cars. Electronic stability control is an example. You always see features introduced at the very high end, and then they slowly work their way down to the lower-end cars.

But there's nothing we've seen. I don't know, Mr. Murie, if you've seen anything.

[Andrew Murie]

Absolutely. There's a panel that's been formed in the United States. We just got $10 million in funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Transport Canada representatives and I sit on it. Our goal over the next five years is to develop a passive alcohol sensor. When your skin touches it, it reads your BAC level, and automatically, at a certain threshold, it will not allow that car to start.

So we're working on it, and all of the automobile industry is at the table. Our hope is to have a prototype in five years that can be introduced into the worldwide global car market at point of manufacturing.

[Raynald Marchand]

My understanding is that Saab has had some success with some of that technology, but it's still experimental.

[Andrew Murie]

It's not what we're--

[Raynald Marchand]

We're not there yet.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Réal Ménard]

Thank you, Mr. Bagnell.

Before we adjourn today, I want to remind you that on Thursday we will be proceeding with the clause-by-clause study of BillS-203 concerning cruelty to animals. As the clerk is requesting, kindly forward your amendments by the end of the day tomorrow, that is no later than 3 p.m. or 4 p.m.

Do we know if many colleagues plan to propose amendments? I believe Mr. Comartin had indicated that he would probably be putting forward some amendments. We're not asking how many amendments you have exactly, but will you have more than ten?

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

I will have about a dozen amendments.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Réal Ménard]

I don't think the Bloc plans to propose any amendments. Does the opposition intend to move some amendments to the cruelty to animal bill? No.

Does the government intend to move any amendments? No.

Tomorrow, the steering committee is meeting to discuss billsC-25 andC-27. We would also ask that those who have not yet done so submit their list of proposed witnesses.

Thank you to our witnesses. Thank you, colleagues. It would be appropriate at this time to move an adjournment motion. So moved by Mr. Petit.

The meeting is adjourned.