News Release
June 15.2006

Anti-Street Racing Bill Introduced

OTTAWA - Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Vic Toews Q.C., today introduced a new Criminal Code offence that will help ensure safer streets for Tri-City residents and all Canadians.

"Street racers threaten public safety and, in some cases, tragically take innocent lives. Street racing is not about kids having fun. It is a reckless and dangerous activity that has no place in Canadian communities,” said Minister Toews.

Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam MP James Moore welcomed the announcement as good news for his constituents, and all British Columbians.  "Street racing is a growing problem in British Columbia," says Moore.  "We promised to take tough action on street racing, and we have kept our word."

The Government proposal would create a separate Criminal Code offence of street racing, which would reference the offences of dangerous driving (no bodily harm or death), dangerous driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death, criminal negligence causing bodily harm, and criminal negligence causing death. This new offence would also include increased maximum punishments and escalating mandatory driving prohibitions for those convicted of street racing.

"There is no task more important to any government than the protection of its citizens,” says Moore. "That is why the Government is sending a strong message that street racing on Canada's roads and highways will not be tolerated and that offenders will be dealt with appropriately by the criminal justice system."

The proposed punishments for the new street racing offence are as follows:
 

Offence	Current Punishment	Proposed Punishment with Street Racing
Dangerous Driving (no bodily harm or death)	Summary Conviction or, on Indictment imprisonment up to five years maximum	Summary Conviction or, on Indictment imprisonment up to five years maximum
Dangerous Driving causing Bodily Harm	Up to 10 years maximum imprisonment	Up to 14 years maximum imprisonment
Dangerous Driving causing Death	Up to 14 years maximum imprisonment	Up to lifetime maximum imprisonment
Criminal Negligence causing Bodily Harm	Up to 10 years maximum imprisonment	Up to 14 years maximum imprisonment
Criminal Negligence causing Death	Up to lifetime maximum imprisonment	Up to lifetime maximum imprisonment

In addition, the Government proposal would include mandatory minimum driving prohibitions on a first, second and subsequent street racing conviction.

For a first street racing conviction, the mandatory driving prohibitions are:
 

Offence	Mandatory Driving Prohibitions
Dangerous Driving (no bodily harm or death)	1 year minimum up to 3 years maximum
Dangerous Driving causing Bodily Harm	1 year minimum up to 10 years maximum
Dangerous Driving causing Death	1 year minimum up to 10 years maximum
Criminal Negligence causing Bodily Harm	1 year minimum up to 10 years maximum
Criminal Negligence causing Death	1 year minimum up to lifetime maximum

For a second street racing conviction, the mandatory driving prohibitions are:

Offence	Mandatory Driving Prohibitions
Dangerous Driving (no bodily harm or death)	2 years minimum up to 5 years maximum
Dangerous Driving causing Bodily harm	2 years minimum up to 10 years maximum
Dangerous Driving causing Death	*Lifetime minimum
Criminal Negligence causing Bodily harm	2 years minimum up to 10 years maximum
Criminal Negligence causing Death	*Lifetime minimum

*The lifetime minimum driving prohibition would apply if an offender has two convictions where someone was injured or killed as a result of street racing, and at least one of these offences caused a death .

For subsequent street racing convictions, the mandatory driving prohibitions are:

Offence	Mandatory Driving Prohibitions
Dangerous Driving (no bodily harm or death)	3 years minimum up to lifetime maximum
Dangerous Driving causing Bodily Harm	3 years minimum up to lifetime maximum
Dangerous Driving causing Death	*Lifetime minimum
Criminal Negligence causing Bodily Harm	3 years minimum up to lifetime maximum
Criminal Negligence causing Death	*Lifetime minimum

*The lifetime minimum driving prohibition would apply if an offender has three or more convictions where someone was injured or killed as a result of street racing, and at least one of these offences caused a death.

These periods of driving prohibition would be in addition to any period to which the offender is sentenced to imprisonment.

To learn more about the Government's efforts to tackle crime, visit www.tacklingcrime.ca 

An online version of the legislation will be available at www.parl.gc.ca

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For more information, email moorej@parl.gc.ca or call 613.992.9650