Public Safety Committee on Feb. 6th, 2017

[Markita Kaulius]

I think, as the victims' parents, literally we live this nightmare every single day. Every morning and every night I look down a hallway to a bedroom. All of her things are still there. We live this every single day.

One of the hardest things we have seen is that it seems there are no deterrents there. The sentences given out are so low that these people get in, they get the “get out of jail free” card, and they are out in six months. We're still just getting out of the shock.

We approve of random breath testing. If it's a deterrent and a possibility, and the numbers, the statistics, show that it's working, it would be a great deterrent.

[Nicola Di Iorio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

What about MADD having the government adopting a comprehensive approach?

[Andrew Murie]

Sure. At the federal level the most important thing you could do right now is the mandatory screening both for alcohol and drugs because it's not just alcohol but also drugs as well.

The second thing is, by doing that, you're increasing the ability for the provinces to enforce their laws, target all those people who are driving impaired, and give them the sanctions that make the immediate difference. Vehicle impoundment, nobody wants their vehicle impounded. All of a sudden if they have mandatory screening, they can more easily impound more vehicles to get the message across, to get that education piece up.

We also want the provinces in preparation for the cannabis to have zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs up to 25. That also sends a message. If you choose to drive when you're a young person with one of those substances in your body, you get your vehicle impounded.

[Nicola Di Iorio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Murie, I understand the provinces, but having this federal government addressing the issues in a comprehensive way....

[Andrew Murie]

There are two things. One is the deterrent factor—mandatory screening, respectable penalties. The other piece we've talked a lot about, and you have talked about, is the whole other side of supporting victims.

I can tell you the funds that go to organizations that support victims are minuscule. The federal government gives nothing to organizations like ours, so if you really want to start to make the difference with victim voices, then you start to have proper funding for these so we can....

Right now, all the victim services that MADD provides come from donations from Canadians. Federal Parliament does nothing. Provinces do very little in this area.

[Nicola Di Iorio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

What about having Parliament address comprehensive legislation on the issue? Are you open to that?

[Andrew Murie]

Absolutely. This bill has made a good start, but there are other pieces that need to be done as well.

[Nicola Di Iorio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Would you welcome the government intervening in these matters?

[Andrew Murie]

Absolutely.

[Markita Kaulius]

Our organization gets nothing. We get zero. We do everything on our own dime. We get no funding at all.

[Sheri Arsenault]

We're just grieving mums. We're not an organization like MADD. We're just mums.

[Markita Kaulius]

We don't take donations. We're just trying to change laws and save lives. I say to many people as well that we've already lost our children, but we're trying to change laws to protect yours. It's not for us.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

I'm going to take this opportunity to end our meeting.

Thank you for your time and for your persistence. We've heard lots from you, and you can rest assured that your brief will be translated and shared with the committee. Thank you.

Thank you to the committee for a good meeting.

The meeting is adjourned.