Mr. Speaker, as mentioned yesterday by my colleague, the hon. member for London East, this is National Safe Driving Week.
As chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, I am mindful that last year over 40 per cent of automobile fatalities involved a drunk driver. That startling statistic underlies the theme of this year's National Safe Driving Week, the hidden face of impaired driving.
In addition to supporting public awareness campaigns, several provinces and territories are either currently implementing mandatory rehabilitation programs and administrative licence suspensions or plan to do so in the very near future. These measures will prohibit those charged with impaired driving from operating a motor vehicle while awaiting criminal court proceedings.
Through ongoing initiatives such as National Safe Driving Week and the strategy to reduce impaired driving I am confident we will reduce the level of drunkenness, death and injury on our roads.