Bill C-73

SUMMARY

This enactment amends the provisions of the Criminal Code that govern offences in relation to conveyances. The amendments, among other things,

(a) harmonize the prohibitions and penalties for offences in relation to the operation of conveyances;

(b) increase the penalties for repeat offences in relation to the operation of conveyances;

(c) modernize the procedures for determining whether a person’s ability to operate a conveyance is impaired by a drug, and for analyzing breath samples to determine a person’s blood alcohol concentration;

(d) provide for rules governing the disclosure of information with respect to the results of analyzing breath samples; and

(e) recognize that evaluating officers are experts in determining whether a person’s ability to operate a conveyance is impaired by a drug.

The enactment also amends the Criminal Records Act to remove the offences of impaired driving and failure or refusal to comply with a demand as exceptions to the offences that result in a record suspension ceasing to have effect.

Finally, the enactment makes consequential amendments to those Acts and to other Acts.