Driving Law & Justice Arising From Chris Wedlock Tragedy

Chris Wedlock was killed in a tragic car accident in October, 2022. His widow, Tanya Wedlock, has been pursuing improvements to legislation. On May 16, 2023 Tanya Wedlock, her mother Linda Jackson, and Chris Wedlock’s mother, Linda Wedlock attended the legislative sitting where I asked the following questions. https://youtu.be/mCBG5-7N62o Mr. Trivers: Madam Speaker, on October 21st, 2022, Chris Wedlock was killed in a car accident near Hope River when an oncoming SUV crossed the centre line and collided with him. The driver of the SUV was on the way back from her place of employment at a long-term care facility. In her statement, she said she had approximately two and a half to three hours’ sleep in the three days prior. There are currently no specific laws related to driving while tired in Canada, even though the dangers are well documented. Many even compare it to impaired driving. At the scene of the accident, she was charged under Section 176 of the Highway Traffic Act. This carries relatively minor penalties; for example, a license suspension for up to three months, fines between $200 and $500.

Laws/penalties for driving while tired

My question is to the minister of transportation: Minister, will you create laws specific to driving while tired, or at the very least, increase the existing penalties for offences with serious outcomes like bodily harm or death? Speaker: The hon. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. Mr. Hudson: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and thank the hon. member for the great question that he has posed. My answer to the hon. member is, absolutely, yes, we will look at that. We will take it into consideration. As well, I would welcome the opportunity to work with the member in bringing forward legislation and adjustments to any regulations that may be required. Thank you. Speaker: The hon. Member from Rustico-Emerald, your first supplementary. Mr. Trivers: Thank you, Madam Speaker. That’s fantastic news. Not only was the driver of the SUV sleep deprived, the driver of the SUV was also driving alone with a learner’s permit. That’s an instruction driver’s permit that requires a driving supervisor. Once again, the penalties for the holder of an instruction permit driving unaccompanied in violation of Section 82(3) of the Highway Traffic Act are relatively minor, with fines between $200 and $1,000.

Penalties for instruction driver’s permit holders

Again, to the minister of transportation: Will you increase the penalties for violations with serious outcomes like bodily harm or death committed by a person with an instruction driver’s permit? Speaker: The hon. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. Mr. Hudson: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, and again, thank the hon. member for the question. Will I give that consideration? Absolutely, I will, Madam Speaker. Thank you. Speaker: The hon. Member from Rustico-Emerald, your second supplementary. Mr. Trivers: Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is so fantastic to hear that maybe some good and some improvements can come from such a tragic accident. The driver of the SUV was sleep deprived and driving with a learner’s permit and no driving supervisor, and so it’s no wonder that eventually, the initial charge was replaced with criminal charges. But the warrant for her arrest was not issued until April 25th, 2023, almost six months after the tragic accident. She was employed in PEI on a work visa, and there are no laws stopping her from travelling while the initial charges were pending. Currently, she is believed to not be in Canada, and RCMP are asking for any information the public can provide about where she is. As CBC reported, RCMP Constable Gavin Moore said: “It’s not uncommon for a collision, especially a fatal collision, to have significant delays before police can take action and pursue a charge.”

Requirements re: pending charges

This is a question – I think this one’s better to the Minister of Justice and Public Safety. Minister, will you help serve justice and champion changes to ensure that people with pending charges, non-Canadian or otherwise, must stay in Canada and face the charges against them? Speaker: The hon. Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General. Mr. Thompson: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank the member for bringing this question forward. It was a tragic event that, if we can help in any way to make a change, make a difference so this doesn’t happen to another family, we will definitely do that. I passed on your correspondence to Public Safety that you sent to me a few weeks ago. We’ll look into what we can do in the immediate future and make anything we can do to strengthen those laws going forward. Thank you, Madam Speaker.