The former deputy premier of Saskatchewan has received an elevated fine and lost his driver’s licence for a year after pleading guilty last week in Regina Provincial Court to driving with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) over .08.
Don McMorris, the MLA for Indian Head-Milestone will pay $1,400 plus a victim fine surcharge of $420 because his BAC was more than twice the legal limit.
The Court heard September 7 that on the morning of August 5, at approximately 11:30 a.m., two members of the public alerted police to a Saskatchewan government vehicle weaving across Hwy 1 near White City and almost rear-ending another vehicle at a Tim Hortons.
McMorris was stopped and arrested. He provided two suitable breath samples that produced readings of .200 and .210.
He told police he had been drinking with a friend the night before at the lake and felt like he was okay to drive when he woke up in the morning prompting various media outlets to consult addictions experts. Most said the scenario outlined to the Court is consistent with a drinking problem.
McMorris has admitted as much, saying he is receiving professional personal counseling to make some needed changes to his life.
Immediately after being charged, McMorris, who ironically had been the minister responsible for SLGA and headed up a major anti-drunk driving initiative, resigned from cabinet, expressed seemingly heartfelt remorse and apologized.
Judge Barbara Tomkins considered that remorse and his early guilty plea as mitigating factors but expressed concern about how much alcohol he must have consumed the night before to produce such high readings the following morning.
After his appearance McMorris briefly talked to media on the courtroom steps.
“I’m extremely embarrassed and ashamed of my actions on that day,” he said. “There are no excuses.”
Although McMorris is no longer a minister, he is so far holding on to his seat in the legislature. NDP interim leader Trent Wotherspoon says that is unacceptable noting that while both NDP and Sask Party fielded candidates with drunk driving convictions in the last election, it is different when a sitting member is arrested.
“We have a code of conduct which requires us to be lawful, requires us to be held to a higher standard beyond that and regardless of all of that, drinking and driving is an issue and a problem all across our province and for him to continue as an MLA would send all the wrong signals to kids and communities across our province,” Wotherspoon said.
Premier Brad Wall responded by saying McMorris has not offered to resign nor will the premier ask him to adding he believes the voters of Indian Head-Milestone agree.
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