Thank you, Santa Trudeau, for the road safety Christmas gift. Police can finally do the work we香蕉视频直播檝e been asking them to do: pulling those over the legal alcohol limit off the road.
Though it香蕉视频直播檚 the hard working elves we should probably thank.
Particularly those who fought to maintain the controversial and dramatic change that means so much for road safety.
I am a bit of a news junky, with a particular interest in road safety. I香蕉视频直播檓 embarrassed to say that I had not clued in to the change until seeing a news report on Dec. 11, of its imminent implementation on Dec. 18.
The law had been passed in June, along with cannabis legalization.
I posted the news report on Facebook with the comment: 香蕉视频直播淭his is beyond incredible. How could it have taken this long!? Nice!!!!!香蕉视频直播�
My enthusiasm wasn香蕉视频直播檛 widely shared. Responding comments included: 香蕉视频直播淛ust burn the Charter香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淩.I.P. freedom, hello police state.香蕉视频直播�
Another: 香蕉视频直播淭his is so against our Charter of Rights it香蕉视频直播檚 pathetic. One step closer to losing more of our rights. Here comes the Nazi regime.香蕉视频直播�
I promised to address those concerns in my Christmas column.
Bill C-46 includes a wide swath of changes. The one I am excited about pertains to when police can make a roadside breath demand.
In hindsight, we had been expecting police to enforce our impaired driving laws while blindfolded.
Before Dec. 18, when conducting a CounterAttack roadblock, police were handcuffed from making a roadside breath demand unless they had reasonable grounds to suspect that you had alcohol in your body.
We expected them to conduct a roadside investigation based on the smell of your breath, what you chose to disclose about your alcohol consumption and gross indicators of intoxication (fumbling with your licence and registration, slurring words, glassy eyes, etc.).
British Columbia law prohibits driving with a blood alcohol level over 0.05 per cent. An adult man can reach that level with as little as two alcoholic drinks in one hour.
Who slurs their words, has glassy eyes or smells of alcohol after two drinks?
Chronic alcoholics can hide their use from co-workers, friends and even spouses. What ridiculous expectations we had of our police.
One news report, noted: 香蕉视频直播淩esearch also shows that up to 50 per cent of drivers who would blow over the legal limit aren香蕉视频直播檛 caught during roadside check stops.香蕉视频直播�
No kidding Sherlock. Though I香蕉视频直播檇 like to see the research because I would have expected a much wider hole in the net.
That hole has been sewn up. Police blindfolds have been removed. They are finally able to investigate drivers for exceeding legal blood alcohol levels in an effective way, using a roadside screening device.
No more pussy-footing around, blindfolded. They can require every driver to blow.
Section 8 says, 香蕉视频直播淓veryone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.香蕉视频直播�
Is a breath screening during an otherwise lawful roadside stop an 香蕉视频直播渦nreasonable search or seizure,香蕉视频直播� marching down a Nazi path towards a police state?
I am already at 500 words, which is the rule of thumb my editors give me. I apologize, but I must once again (second week in a row) make this one 香蕉视频直播渢o be continued.香蕉视频直播�
Wishing all of you a safe and happy holiday season and New Year.
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