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Anti street racing bill
From Citynews.ca
| quote: | Feds Propose Bill To Crack Down On Street Racers
Thursday June 15, 2006
It's been glamorized in the movies, but the reality of street racing is anything but glitzy.
Thirty-four people have died as a result of the illegal activity over the last six years and on Thursday the federal government made good on its promise to get tough on drivers who put others at risk because of their need for speed.
The feds introduced a bill aimed at cracking down on road racers by making the competitions a specific Criminal Code offence. Street racing is already illegal under other sections of the Code, but federal Justice Minister Vic Toews said this move will send an important message.
"What we need to do in this particular case is send a specific message that the crime of street racing, regardless of whether it is already captured by other offences, is important, and that we want to increase the penalties for specifically street racing," he explained.
"That would include raising the potential sentences by increasing the maximums and also by creating mandatory periods of prohibition."
This move comes after a three recent incidents, one deadly, that involved alleged street racers. Last month, Robert and Lisa Manchester were killed when one of two cars allegedly participating in a road race plowed into their vehicle. The couple leaves a seven-year-old daughter behind.
Thirty-two-year-old Allison Hickey is in hospital, unable to speak or move the right side of her body after an alleged street racer plowed into her car earlier this month. She and her fiancé were heading to a movie when the crash happened.
And police believe street racing may have been the cause of a dramatic crash on Highway 427 near Rathburn Road Tuesday night that demolished a Corvette. The person behind the wheel is now fighting for their life in hospital.
To highlight the dangers of road racing and the damage it can cause, provincial officials and York Regional Police were on hand Thursday morning in Markham as two illegal racing cars were demolished (pictured). The province also has an ongoing anti-street racing campaign underway.
"By destroying these cars, we are ensuring that they will never be on the streets in Canada again engaged in the activity of street racing," Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant said.
"Secondly, destroying these cars is intended to send a powerful message of deterrence. We are seeking ... to send a message to street racing motorheads and drivers that we're not just going to take your keys away for a few weeks, we are going to take your precious vehicles away from you. We're going to bring them into a scrap yard where they will be destroyed."
The two vehicles that were reduced to scrap metal Thursday had thousands of dollars of engine modifications and had been seized by police separately in 2003 and 2004. They were seized under the Civil Remedies Act, which authorizes the Attorney General to ask civil courts to freeze, seize and forfeit the proceeds and instruments of unlawful activity to the Crown. |
I looked around for the Bill the article mentions, but couldn't find anything. Is this government taking away our right to street racing Jay?
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