Senate study recommends Canadian drug testing legislation

OTTAWA (Jan. 29) — A Senate committee on transportation safety has recommended that Transport Canada draft legislation to require drug and alcohol testing legislation and broaden the role of the Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) to include highway accidents as ways to foster a “transportation safety culture” in Canada.

A study tabled yesterday by the Special Senate Committee on Transportation Safety and Security listed nine recommendations designed to address “the safety and security of the people using out transportation systems,” said committee chair Senator Michael Forrestall.

The interim report spans all modes, both commercial and private. It is not intended to form the basis of legislation; special committees typically are not part of the legislative process.

The interim report recommends that:

> government-industry education and awareness programs intended to create a culture of transportation safety;

> in-house employer-employee safety committees be established in the transportation industry;

> Transport Canada introduce legislation to permit mandatory random drug and alcohol testing in the transportation industry similar to legislation in the United States;

> the government be required to respond to TSB recommendations by tabling its response in the House of Commons and Senate within 90 days;

> the TSM mandate should include highway accidents, “especially those involving transport trucks over 4500 kg in gross vehicle weight”;

> disaster and family and victim assistance plans be developed for the airline industry;

> a fund and infrastructure program be developed for highway building and repair;

> introduction of public education programs on motor vehicle equipment use; and

> that tires, especially truck tires, should only be retreaded by those who are fully qualified and who have the proper equipment, and that all retreaded tires must also be stamped to indicate that they are retreaded.

The recommendations, which stem from work by a preceding Senate subcommittee that started in October 1996, have been submitted to Transport Canada for consideration. There is no obligation for the agency to act upon them.