Police launch Mandatory Alcohol Screening program in Halifax area
An initiative called the Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) program is designed to cut down on the number of drunk drivers on the road in the Halifax area.
“Unfortunately we have impaired drivers driving around right now. I got one this morning,” says Cst. Scott Aldridge of the Southeast RCMP traffic Services.
Canadian Parliament approved MAS in 2018. It allows officers to request a breath sample from drivers during a traffic stop for a motor vehicle infraction. Police are not permitted to pull someone over for the sole purpose of completing a MAS test.
“Drivers have to provide a sample of their breath to police upon demand without a suspicion. Prior to that we had a very low threshold, but we had to form the suspicion that they had beverage alcohol in their body,” Cst. Aldridge says.
The measures might not sit well with some
“The one underlying problem with this is, one could argue that it would violate the constitutional right especially in the Charter, section 8, of unreasonable search and seizure,” says Michael Boudreau, a criminology professor at St. Thomas University.
Boudreau says groups like the Canadian Civil Liberties Association will be paying close attention to how the program unfolds.
“Police obviously have the right to use their discretion, but sometimes critics have argued that that discretion has been used against or to target groups from say racialized communities,” Boudreau says. “Will this be another example of the police using their discretion to unfairly target certain groups who they think might be under the influence of alcohol?
“It will be interesting going forward to see the numbers on who is stopped. We’re going to have to keep close tabs on the numbers.”
Similar efforts are happening in Ontario and Saskatchewan
Cpl. Aldridge says refusing the breathalyzer is the same as blowing over and the driver will be arrested and charged.
The Mandatory Alcohol Screening program will run during May.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton dead following prison attack
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Ex-husband charged with murder in death of Lumby, B.C., woman
The ex-husband of Tatjana Stefanski – the woman whose disappearance and death set the small town of Lumby, B.C., on edge last month – has been charged with her murder.
Oilers beat Stars, one win away from Stanley Cup berth
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored two power-play goals as Edmonton smothered the Dallas Stars 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL's Western Conference final on Friday.
Baby dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to woman who was in police custody
A newborn is dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to a woman in police custody.
Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: 'I am completely heartsick and devastated'
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
This Calgary home has a giant tree in the middle, and it's for sale
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
DND moving 1,000 employees out of Ottawa office building due to safety concerns
The Department of National Defence is moving approximately 1,000 employees out of an office building in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood, citing safety concerns for its employees.
Man convicted of killing Toronto cop in 1980 granted day parole
A man convicted of murdering a Toronto police officer more than four decades ago has been granted day parole for six months.