N.S. drinking and driving penalties under debate

Nova Scotia MLAs are debating a plan for tougher penalties for people who drink before getting behind the wheel.

Under Bill 2, drivers caught with a blood alcohol level of 0.05 would lose their licence for a week. A second offence would net a two-week suspension, and athird, a month-long suspension.

Currently, offenders lose their licence for a day for a first offence.

The NDP government says the goal is to force people not to drink and drive, even if they're not legally drunk. The legal limit under the Criminal Code is a blood alchoholcontentof 0.08.

Transportation Minister Bill Estabrooks, who kicked off the debate in the legislature Friday, said 22 Nova Scotians die every year due to impaired driving.

"That is absolutely scandalous, and we have to do something as legislators about this," he said.

Opposition MLAs said the proposal doesn't go far enough.

Murray Scott, a former Tory justice minister, doesn't like that repeat offenders would simply face longer suspensions.

"Maybe we should be looking at second or third offence seizing the vehicle and disposing it," Scott said. "I think people would get a strong signal then if you're going to drink and drive in the province of Nova Scotia, you're going to pay the price."

Liberal MLA Andrew Younger said impounding a vehicle doesn't make sense if it's a rental or doesn't belong to the driver.

Hesaid losing a licence for a month for a first offence would hurt more.

"I just don't think seven days is much of a deterrent for most people," Younger said. "If we're really going to be serious that impaired driving is a major offence, then maybe we should have the hardest-hitting legislation in the country."

Scott said hewould likely propose an amendment to Bill 2 when it goes to the committee stage, likely next week. The public will get its say then.

Estabrooks said he's willing to rework his bill.

"I'm certainly open to the fact that perhaps there should be some other further, tougher implications if you are a repeat offender," he said.