聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Why governing parties and journalists don鈥檛 much get along has to do with their very different approaches.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A governing party鈥檚 prime directive is to remain in power so it can do what it feels is best for the public.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But that isn鈥檛 always about telling the world like it is, but what they wish the world to be.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Journalists are bound by their commitment to their craft to tell it like it is, warts and all.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sometimes, it doesn鈥檛 do much for the reputation of journalists, who the government and its supporters see as unnecessarily negative and eager to dwell on the bad news.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Any journalist, however, will tell you it鈥檚 never easy to be the bearer of bad news.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Maybe this is why journalists have a bit of empathy for governments that sometimes have to tell people what they don鈥檛 want to hear.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 And there is a lot surrounding the amendments to the Traffic Safety Act 鈥� which is legislation that the government says will provide 鈥渕ore tools for law enforcement鈥� to deal with drunk driving 鈥� that will not be popular.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Essentially, this is what the act will impose:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 -A three-day vehicle seizure 鈥渇or experienced drivers who are charged for the first time with having a blood alcohol content (BAC) over .04.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 -Zero tolerance for any driver 21 years and younger found with drugs and alcohol in their system, and
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 -Far tougher ignition interlock laws that will extend their聽mandatory use to drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than .16, or who refuse to take a breathalyser. The interlock must be used for聽two years for the first offence, five years for the second and 10 years for the third and subsequent offences.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In addition, the changes to take effect in the new year will also see Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) spend $800,000 on 32聽additional automated licence plate readers to help聽police catch聽disqualified drivers. SGI will also provide $500,000 for police聽to increase impaired driving check stops.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 One can certainly argue this is a long-overdue response to a problem as serious as any in this province.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On a per capita basis, Saskatchewan has the highest rate of impaired driving fatalities in Canada. There were nearly 1,200 impaired driving collisions in 2015 that killed 53 people and injured 578 others.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Frankly, much of what was announced by SGI Minister Joe Hargrave and Justice Minister Gord Wyant had been proposed in committee by the NDP two years ago.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The government said at the time it was doing enough.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 One suspects that the about-face by Premier Brad Wall鈥檚 government on drunk driving was at least partly driven by former deputy premier Don McMorris鈥檚 impaired driving conviction.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But whether this was a political face-saver or not, the reality is that these changes will still not be popular in certain circles.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Already, we are hearing the usual grumbling about how Saskatchewan has a sparse population with little traffic and without a good public transportation option.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This may not be a popular decision in rural Saskatchewan where we will undoubtedly hear from bar owners complaining this will be the end to their business.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rural Saskatchewan is a place where people have an amazing capacity to adjust.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Surely, creative solutions can be found to driving people home from bars and parties.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For people like former MP Allan Kerpan 鈥� whose 25-year-old聽daughter Danille was killed in a 2014 crash caused by a聽drunk driver 鈥� rural Saskatchewan coming to terms with the reality of drunk driving is a must.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kerpan noted the day of the announcement that his hometown of Kenaston has 鈥渢hree or four guys鈥� who聽consistently drive drunk. Most rural Saskatchewan communities likely have similar numbers, he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Attitudes must change.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Unfortunately, what must come first are some unpopular law changes.
