Diplomats Lose Licences Over Drunk Driving Charges

Ottawa police said the three diplomats refused to waive immunity after it was determined there was "sufficient evidence" to warrant the laying of criminal charges. "A formal request for immunity to be waived was made, but not obtained," said Ottawa police Supt. Charles Bordeleau, adding all three opted to avoid prosecution by turning over their licences to Foreign Affairs under Canada's zero-tolerance policy on impaired driving by diplomats. According to police, the first incident occurred on March 18 when an officer observed and stopped a vehicle on the Vanier Parkway and the driver refused to provide a breath sample. During the second incident on June 12, police stopped a vehicle near the corner of St. Laurent Boulevard and Russell Road. The driver showed evidence of being impaired and refused to provide a breath sample. Nine days later, police stopped a third vehicle on King Edward Avenue. The driver also showed evidence of being impaired. In both June instances, members of the public notified police after noticing vehicles being driven in an erratic manner. Despite formal charges being laid against each of the three diplomats, their names were not released due to a police, Foreign Affairs Department and Crown attorney policy to withhold the identities of foreign representatives who opt to remain immune under the impaired driving policy. Under that policy, the charges are held in abeyance until the completion of the protocol and then withdrawn, police said. "It's the wrong message. It's out of sync with what (then foreign affairs minister John) Manley promised us in 2001," said MADD Canada chief executive Andrew Murie, who criticized the policy for being too secretive. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=2ee5883d-4de0-4061-abbf-bd393e6e75d5&k=57666 [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on December 7, 2005]

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