The message about impaired driving, and not drinking and driving, still needs to reach some people, it would appear, after the province’s deputy premier was charged by the RCMP with impaired driving.
The minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority was quoted in the media saying the following about impaired driving: “The numbers still show there are too many that haven’t got the message. We’re going in the right direction, but us, just like every other province, still have some who haven’t heard the message or choose to ignore it.”
The minister at the time was Don McMorris, the MLA for Indian Head-Milestone — and on Friday, the RCMP stopped him just east of Regina, and charged him with impaired driving. The following day, McMorris resigned as deputy premier and from his list of ministerial responsibilities, including being in charge of the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, admitting that his actions were “unacceptable”, a term that Premier Brad Wall also used.
There is no better word to describe what McMorris did, and indeed his own words should be haunting him, as apparently the message didn’t get through to the minister that he shouldn’t drink and drive.
The numbers that the police post of the people they charge with impaired driving show that indeed the message still needs to out there, as Saskatchewan is still known as having some of the highest numbers in the country for drunk driving.
Recently a woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing a family of four while impaired. While this was the longest sentence for drunk driving yet handed out in Saskatchewan, it is woefully inadequate considering an entire family of four was killed as a result of her actions — so indeed, much more needs to be done to deter people from drinking and driving.
McMorris did the right thing in resigning from cabinet, and hopefully he will get the counselling he needs as he deals with his charge in court. But more than that, he needs to pass on to the residents of the province that this is absolutely unacceptable behaviour. As a cabinet minister and the second-most powerful man (until his resignation), he was in a position of responsibility and has to be held to account, as does every driver who is caught behind the wheel while under the influence. As he said, there is much more work needed on this issue. — Greg Nikkel
