The CAQ votes against lowering the blood alcohol limit to 0.05
Posted February 15, 2024 12:59 pm.
All of the CAQ MNA’s voted against the Liberal motion to lower the blood alcohol level to 0.05.
The motion, led by Monsef Derraji, was defeated on Thursday, 31 votes to 67.
Derraji wanted Quebec to follow the lead of other provinces and impose administrative penalties on drivers whose blood alcohol content (BAC) reaches 0.05.
He argued that this was a public health recommendation.
Currently, in Canada, a blood alcohol level of 0.08 is a criminal offence. However, all Canadian provinces, except for Quebec, impose penalties at 0.05. In Saskatchewan 0.04.
“In British Columbia, for example, this measure has led to a 52 per cent drop in fatal accidents,” said Derraji.
During the debate on Wednesday, Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault said that Quebec was already “very strict overall.”
She went on to list all the road safety measures adopted since 1996.
Derraji said this was an inexplicable position and that the Legault government lacked “courage.”
Québec solidaire (QS) and the Parti québécois (PQ) voted in favour of the Liberal motion, but the CAQ government has a majority.
This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews.
