Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, the Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, recently given second reading, proposes to toughen up our drinking and driving laws by reducing the legal limit to .05 percent. This is an important step towards the goal of reducing traffic fatalities in the Northwest Territories. However, Mr. Speaker, I believe in order to make this law more effective the public must be aware of the lower blood alcohol limit and what this new limit really means.

We've all heard the ads that equate one beer to one glass of wine to one ounce of liquor. In the past we have done a fairly good job of informing the public about how much the average person can consume while safely being below the limit of .08 percent level. With the new limit on the horizon, the public must be informed on how the new rate reduces what can be consumed before getting behind the wheel of the vehicle. If the public isn't familiar with the new limit, the benefit to public safety that this bill was meant to provide won't be realized and that, Mr. Speaker, would be a tragic waste.

There are many ways to get the message out. Increased presence of the RCMP, perhaps including more frequent road side breathalyzer testing, is one possibility. But it is critical that we find ways to get the word out before someone gets behind the wheel. Setting up breathalyzer equipment in a few bars could be an eye opening experience for many. Other possibilities include informative posters or signs for display in all businesses that serve or sell alcohol and other key locations; stickers or messages on cans, bottles, and paper bags; a mass mail out informing the public of the new limit and what the change means; or perhaps an insert in any government mailing. Public service announcements targeting youth and a notice of the lower blood alcohol limit could be provided at the same time as driver licenses or vehicles are registered.

There are a great number of things that can be done to inform the public of the new limit and to make the public aware of how the new tolerance will decrease the amount of alcohol that can be legally consumed before getting behind the wheel. This government must do all that it can to get the word out and I hope they will consider these suggestions. Mr. Speaker, laws that are not understood are unlikely to be effective and there can hardly be a more important law than one that helps prevent another death from drunk driving. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause