Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to ask some questions on behalf of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving contingent in Fort Simpson. These questions are for the Minister of Transportation.
What is the department doing to tackle the high rates of impaired driving in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Transportation is developing a High Risk Drivers Program, focusing on drivers that continue to engage in dangerous behaviours despite various interventions. We are now working with a couple of programs that are intended to put on more severity on individuals that are caught; for example, for repeat offenders of impaired driving and so on. We are looking at demerits, monetary penalties and suspensions and so on, and trying to address the issue. But just developing the High Risk Drivers Program is where we’re trying to focus in on this type of issue. Thank you.
With our government’s efforts to reduce drunk driving, parental groups like MADD and even SADD, Students Against Drunk Driving, have we seen a decrease in the amount of drunk driving convictions and charges in the last five years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t have that data with me. We are assuming that we’re still going to go and put in programs like the driver’s licence merit point program, the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program and things like that, that are designed to address individuals that do drive impaired. But not having the information here, I’m not able to provide that to the Member to indicate whether or not some of this works… In the past, some of the work the department has done has had a positive effect on the impaired driving rates. Thank you.
I look forward to the information from the Minister. Does our government fund activities or have any resources that can assist with MADD Canada or its student counterpart, SADD Canada, or any of our groups here in the Northwest Territories?
Again, I don’t believe that the department does provide monetary support to the Students Against Drunk Driving or Mothers Against Drunk Driving. These organizations are funded by the general population through donations, but I could look into the situation and see what type of other supports the department can and does provide to both Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Students Against Drunk Driving. Thank you.
Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I certainly look forward to that research that the Minister wants to do and see what other resources are there that can assist these organizations.
I’d just like to know if the convictions for drinking and driving have increased. I think it was during the last review, I’d like to ask the Minister, has it increased? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, certainly as time goes, the severity of punishment for impaired driving has continued to increase. Impaired driving is certainly something that’s not viewed like it used to be in years past. It’s considered to be a very serious offence and is treated as such. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
