The Ontario government is moving to enhance penalties for dangerous driving, inspired by the tragic death of a father of three, Andrew Cristillo. Cristillo, 35, lost his life in a head-on collision in Whitchurch-Stouffville, leaving his wife and daughters injured. The accused driver, who was 18 at the time, faced previous dangerous driving charges involving Premier Doug Ford. In response to the advocacy of Cristillo’s brother, new legislation is being introduced to implement roadside suspensions for dangerous driving offenses and potential lifetime driving bans in severe cases.
The proposed measures include imposing lifetime license suspensions for individuals convicted of dangerous driving causing death, granting police the authority to immediately suspend a driver’s license for 90 days and impound their vehicle if suspected of dangerous driving, and increasing fines and impoundment durations for driving with a suspended license. The bill is part of an omnibus justice proposal introduced by the Ford government.
Acknowledging the tragedy of Cristillo’s death, Solicitor General Michael Kerzner emphasized the government’s unwavering stance against impaired or dangerous driving, vowing to ensure severe consequences for offenders. However, opposition parties raised concerns over the government’s ban on speed cameras, pointing out a perceived inconsistency in cracking down on dangerous driving while limiting speed enforcement measures. The bill also includes provisions such as requiring cash security deposits for bail-breakers, granting transit constables authority to enforce drug use prohibitions, and exploring public disclosure of certain sex offender registry information.
Furthermore, the legislation aims to prohibit “invasive medical research” on cats and dogs unless for specific purposes like veterinary research. This move follows earlier discussions initiated by Premier Ford after reports of concerning research practices on dogs at the Lawson Research Institute. Animal Justice has praised the bill, emphasizing the importance of ending animal suffering in research labs and advocating for the release of current research animals into caring homes for a better quality of life.