Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from citizens of Peterborough and the surrounding area who are concerned about drinking and driving. They point out that an average of 4.5 Canadians are killed and 125 Canadians are seriously injured every day as a result of alcohol related accidents.
The petitioners pray that parliament immediately amend the Criminal Code to streamline the judicial process and to provide sanctions which better reflect the seriousness of the crime by introducing amendments that provide for tiered penalties for driving with a blood alcohol count above .08% and by introducing mandatory assessment and needed treatment for offenders who are sentenced for impaired driving.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to present another petition from citizens who are concerned about drinking and driving. The petitioners point out that 62% of fatally injured drinking drivers in Canada have a blood alcohol concentration that is over double the legal limit.
These petitioners pray that parliament immediately amend the Criminal Code to add mobile digital breath test units to the list of approved instruments under the Criminal Code and that police be authorized to use passive alcohol sensors in impaired driving enforcement.