By refusing to lower the alcohol driving rate to 0.05 despite favorable opinions from the Société d’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), public health, several coroners and even certain members of its caucus, the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, has “lost her credibility,” according to the Liberal Party of Quebec.
During a press briefing organized Tuesday morning at the Parliament building, liberal MP Monsef Derraji deplored the attitude of the minister since the start of the debate on the legal blood alcohol level for drivers. According to the revelations of Dutythe SAAQ sent a favorable opinion in the fall of 2023 to reduce the maximum rate to 0.05. The government of François Legault did not want to follow him.
After refusing to grant us an interview, Geneviève Guilbault indicated that she had not “seen” the document in question. An argument that does not hold water, according to Monsef Derraji, who obtained at the end of September a redacted version of the document, tabled in the House a few days later in front of the CAQ minister’s eyes.
“Today, the minister cannot say that she did not know,” insisted Mr. Derraji to the parliamentary press. “She knew there was a notice. I can understand that she was not aware of this before last week, but eight days later, I think that at a minimum, a competent minister surrounded by a competent team [va] have a meeting with your team, ask for the opinion, read it and be ready to comment on it. »
Without formally requesting the resignation of his counterpart, the liberal spokesperson for Transport considers that Mme Guilbault “simply did not [plus] credibility to ensure road safety. He accuses him of having “ignored” the advice of his state company. “We’re talking about saving lives,” he thundered on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, Minister Guilbault justified her choice not to change the legal blood alcohol level — currently located at 0.08 — by emphasizing that Quebec was one of the “most severe places in Canada” in terms of alcohol consumption. control of drunk driving.
However, according to data obtained by Dutythe number of road checks has fallen by almost 30% since 2018 across all Quebec police forces. Furthermore, even if the law prohibits in principle having 80 mg of alcohol or more per 100 ml of blood, only people above 100 mg are considered by the police to be intoxicated, we have noted. we noticed.
“The only argument that Mme Geneviève Guilbault had on the table: “listen, we have the best measures, and our road checks are working”. This argument has been demolished,” mocked Monsef Derraji on Tuesday.
In February, the CAQ government of François Legault refused to review the legal alcohol level despite the notable appearance, in parliamentary committee, of a couple grieving their daughter, who died in a road accident involving drunk driving . In Canada, only Yukon and Quebec still have a maximum limit higher than 0.05.
Further details will follow.