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Don't Paddle Drunk Canoeing under the influence can now cost you your driver's licence. The Ontario Government recently enacted a law stating that any boater charged with impaired boating will also risk losing his or her driver's licence.. While the original law exempted now power vessels, but the clause from the earlier draft noting the law would only refer to motorboats, was pulled by government lawyers. Lawmakers deferred to a vague federal law for the definition of a boat. This definition from the Canada Shipping Act does not differentiate between, canoes, paddleboats, kayaks or powerboats. It can refer to anything used for navigation. Statistics show that about 35 per cent of all boating fatalities occur in non-powered vessels, primarily canoes and kayaks Ontario now has the strictest law of its kind in north America. Boat drivers whose blood alcohol level exceeds the legal limits will have their driver's licence suspended for 90 days, and if convicted, lose it for an entire year. Those who test below the legal limit, but fall in the so called "warn" range, will have their licence pulled for 12 hours. |