Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): My question today is for the Minister of Transportation. At a press conference in the media studio here at Queen's Park this morning, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada released their Opportunities for Progress report. The report indicates there is much more that we as legislators can do to protect our citizens from impaired drivers. For example, yesterday the government of Manitoba began the process of saving more lives. Manitoba will increase the zero blood alcohol limit for novice drivers under the graduated driver licensing program from three years to five years, along with several other recommendations that are included in the report.

Minister, could you please tell the House what you have done since coming to power in 2003 to reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads and to protect the citizens of Ontario?

Hon. Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of Transportation): We welcome the report from MADD Canada. They have shown real leadership in this field for many years. It is clear that drinking and driving is unacceptable, that drinking and driving don't mix. That's why we have the toughest measures for drinking and driving, not only in Canada but in North America. That includes an immediate 90-day driver's licence suspension, a mandatory back-on-track program, a vehicle impoundment program and ignition interlock. We not only have the toughest measures but we enforce them regularly as well. As a result of that, we are the safest region in terms of safety not only in Canada but in North America. I can go even further. Based on fatalities, we have the safest record compared to other regions.

I am looking forward to giving you more information in the supplementary question on how our record compares to the other regions.

Mr. Dunlop: Under the Mike Harris government, Ontario ranked --
Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Stop the clock. Order. The Minister of Health, order.
The member for Simcoe North.

Mr. Dunlop: Under the Mike Harris government, Ontario ranked number one in Canada in the fight against impaired driving. For example, Premier Harris and Ministers Klees and Sterling strongly supported my private member's bill on the mandatory ignition interlock, the first legislation of its kind in Canada. Since McGuinty has come to power, MADD Canada indicates that Ontario is slipping badly. We now are far behind Manitoba. In MADD Canada's report card, to be released this fall, they expect that we will slip further down the scale as other provinces continue to make improvements.

Impaired driving fatalities in Ontario are increasing. There is no better example than the death of a young police officer last weekend. The McGuinty government is great at banning pit bulls and you love to regulate the sale of homemade pies at farmers' markets and fall fairs. Why are you not on the side of young drivers and why are you not on the side of MADD Canada? Minister, will you stand in this House today and confirm that you will implement the recommendations of MADD Canada's Opportunities for Progress report and return Ontario to be Canada's leader in the fight against drinking and driving?

Hon. Mr. Takhar: I am very pleased to answer the question. Let me say that results speak louder than words: (1) We have the safest roads in North America; (2) if we look at the accidents happening because of alcohol, we have the lowest in North America; (3) in fatalities happening because of alcohol-related incidents, we've got the lowest in North America.

We've got a very, very good record, but that doesn't mean we won't do more. What we have done is this, talking about young people: We have restricted the number of passengers that novice drivers can carry between 12 midnight and 5 a.m. in the morning. We have embarked on a very aggressive education and enforcement program. I can give you the numbers. There have been 5,800 lifetime suspensions; 176,000 almost lost their driving privileges --

The Speaker: Thank you. New question.