Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to speak in complete support of Bill C-201, an act to amend the Criminal Code (operation while impaired).
I was honoured to co-sponsor this bill along with several of my Liberal colleagues. I have always been of the firm conviction that if it is a good idea I will support it.
The fact that this bill was introduced by my colleague, the hon. member for Prince George-Bulkley Valley of the Reform Party, supposedly my opponent, has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that Bill C-201 is a good bill, worthy of approval by all Canadians and by all political parties.
As members have mentioned, the issue of drunk driving causing death is one of great concern to Canadians. By imposing a minimum sentence of seven years for impaired driving causing death and changing section 255(3) of the Criminal Code, this bill will address these concerns.
Currently there is a 14 year maximum sentence available but how often is that imposed? It is similar to our old gun laws, some of the toughest in the world, but never enforced by a lenient justice system.
I highlight the fact that this bill was supported not only by members of all parties, but even more important by organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Students Against Drunk Driving. I had the privilege of meeting Jane Meldrum, the president of MADD Canada, at the news conference announcing this bill. I can fully appreciate and sympathize with her commitment, duty and obligation to raising public awareness on the issue.
The current section in the Criminal Code allows a maximum sentence of 14 years for this horrible crime but that is rarely, if ever, imposed by the courts. Indeed, most sentences are for one or two years even with a previous conviction. That is a joke. Bill C-201 will change that and will better reflect the concern and apprehension of Canadians.
I know we are all pleased that since 1993 the rate of persons charged with the impaired operation of a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft per 100,000 persons 16 years and over has decreased 7 per cent. It is the 11th straight year of a decrease. But the age of the group with the highest rate of charges was that between 25 and 40 years. The single largest group charged was the 30 to 34 age group. Obviously we must do a better job in educating our young people while still in high school.
The number of drinking and driving fatalities have decreased over the years due to the improvement of general road safety, lower speed limits, increased enforcement and improved vehicle safety such as airbags. However, these facts do not help the families tragically torn apart by a drunk driver.
The hon. member for Prince George-Bulkley Valley outlined an example in his own riding where three family members were killed by a drunk driver with previous convictions and who was sentenced to only three and a half years. People are justifiably outraged at these kinds of sentences as they do not at all reflect the views and concerns of average Canadians.
It should be noted that sections of the Criminal Code dealing with impaired driving were amended in 1985. Basically all punishments were increased and several new offences were introduced. The new offences were impaired operation causing death and impaired operation causing bodily harm. While it is rare for me to do so, I congratulate the former Conservative government for these reforms.
All the punishments however, including the maximum 14 year sentence for drunk driving causing death, are only guidelines. Judges are free to set any sentence. For example, in Prince Edward
Island almost all persons convicted of drunk driving are sent to jail as opposed to Quebec where probation is the leading sentence.
The U.S. transportation research board has suggested a tough crackdown on repeat drunk drivers which would include impounding vehicles and police stake outs of people convicted of DUI. The board's committee said current policies in Canada have been effective in discouraging most people from drinking and driving, but there remains a group of persistent drinking drivers who do not appear to be deterred by the threat of social disapproval or legal punishment.
According to the report, repeat offenders are four times more likely than other drivers to take part in a fatal traffic accident. Twelve per cent of drivers involved in alcohol related crashes had at least one prior conviction.
There was an interesting and revealing study published by the New England Journal of Medicine in August 1994 entitled: ``The risk of dying in alcohol related automobile crashes among habitual drunk drivers''. It speculated that persons arrested for drunk driving may be at an increased risk for death in the future in an alcohol related car crash and that people who drive while intoxicated do so repeatedly. The deaths of drivers in those types of accidents were studied over a 10 year period in North Carolina.
The scientists linked about 3,000 drivers to their driver history files. Their conclusions are common sense but revealing nonetheless. Their study showed that aggressive intervention in the cases of people arrested for driving while impaired may decrease the likelihood of a future fatal alcohol related crash.
In the United States, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among people one to 34 years of age. Almost 50 per cent of all traffic fatalities are related to alcohol. Furthermore, 40 per cent of the people in the U.S. will be involved in an alcohol related crash at some time during their lives.
The New England Journal of Medicine report suggests that drivers who die or cause death in alcohol related crashes are more likely than other drivers to have been arrested previously for drunk driving. As well, they tried to determine whether the association with death in a drunk crash increases with the number of arrests for drunk driving.
The U.S. study proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the strength of association between arrests for driving while impaired and alcohol related deaths increased dramatically as the number of arrests increased from one to two or more.
The study had a number of strengths including the completeness with which alcohol level information was collected and reported to the North Carolina medical examiner system. I want to quote from the study: "The likelihood that an alcohol impaired driver will be arrested is between 1 in 250 and 1 in 2,000. Therefore, strategies to combat drunk driving must reach beyond the drivers who have already been arrested. Our results suggest that effective intervention when drunk drivers are arrested could reduce the number of alcohol related deaths. Since the association between arrests for driving while impaired and deaths increases substantially with the number of arrests, it is important to intervene after the first arrest. Such an arrest may thus present an important opportunity to decrease the risk of death from a future alcohol related crash".
I can offer no better reason to support Bill C-201 and its stronger sentences than the August 1994 report of the highly respected and honoured New England Journal of Medicine with its stellar reputation for integrity and principles.
There are similar figures available for Canada. In 1994 in this country 87,838 people were charged with impaired operation of a car, boat or plane, and 1,414 people were killed as a result of impaired driving, three times higher than murder. Ninety per cent of impaired drivers are primarily responsible for the fatal crashes in which they are involved. Out of 1,315 auto fatalities in 1993 in Ontario, 565 were alcohol related.
Bill C-201 is worthy of support by all members of the House. We are here to represent our constituents and I firmly conclude that a majority of Canadians would support this bill and the measures within. It is a votable bill and I will certainly be voting in favour of it because it is a good proposal and partisan politics have no place in private members' business.