Thank you very much.
I'll begin by thanking all the witnesses for appearing before us today. I offer my voice of commendation to MADD Canada for your compelling advocacy on this issue over far too many years, but we are very grateful for all your hard work. I also thank the drugs and driving committee for the sage advice they provide to the Government of Canada, which gives us confidence as we go forward, and Chief Bates.
Chief, I just want to clarify something. You express a bit of concern about the roadside screening tool. I just want to remind you that, in 2014, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, by unanimous resolution, urged the Government of Canada to improve the safety of Canada's roadways by approving a drug screening tool to enhance investigation and prosecution of drug-impaired driving. They stated at the time, three years ago, that they believed advances in technology made these tools readily available for roadside detection and they also acknowledged that they were used effectively in some other jurisdictions.
Given the urgency the CACP conveyed, I'd like your sense of how important you believe it is that we make these tools available to law enforcement to keep our roadways safe.