The opposition asks the Legault government to stop funding Éduc’alcool

The Legault government must stop funding the Éduc’alcool organization, the opposition demanded Thursday, which suspects a conflict of interest: the organization opposes administrative sanctions for a blood alcohol level while driving between 50 mg of alcohol/100 ml and 80 mg of alcohol/100 ml of blood.

Maison Jean Lapointe, which has worked for several decades in the prevention of addiction, also believes that Éduc’alcool remains an obstacle to this progress.

The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) is calling for a parliamentary commission to look into the mandate, independence and financing from Éduc’Alcool.

The Liberals have been leading a crusade for several months for the imposition, like other provinces, of administrative sanctions as soon as the blood alcohol level exceeds 0.05.

The Automobile Insurance Company (SAAQ) is also supportive, following a recommendation from the coroner. But the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, is opposed to it, as is Éduc’alcool.

We are faced with a conflict of interest

Regarding this organization, we are faced with a conflict of interestsupported PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon in the press scrum Thursday morning. THE PQ is for the principle of a tightening to 0.05, but wants to hear all points of view in the parliamentary committee.

In his letter requesting an initiative mandate from the parliamentary committee on transport and the environment, liberal MP Monsef Derraji maintains that Éduc’alcool’s position can be explained by its financing formula, because he receives a royalty based on the volume of alcohol sold in Quebec and collected by the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ).

We cannot claim to serve health and then the public interest, but be financed by the industry which seeks to sell more of this product.added Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon.

As long as the conflict of interest is not resolved and clarified, no public funds should go there, the SAQ must now suspend its fundinghe concluded.

It raises questions about how this organization is financed and then does that guide their positions?commented MP Christine Labrie, from Québec solidaire, adding that the organization has lost a lot of its credibility.

This creates an obvious conflict of interest and raises major ethical questions since any reduction in alcohol consumption in Quebec has a negative financial impact on Éduc’alcool.writes Mr. Derraji.

Many Quebecers wrongly believe that this organization has an awareness-raising mission rooted in public health, he continues. However, the reality is quite different.

The letter requests in particular to summon the president of the SAQJacques Farcy, the general director of Éduc’alcool, Geneviève Desautels, the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, and the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard.

A essential progress

In an open letter sent Thursday, Maison Jean Lapointe maintains that reducing the legal limit to 0.05 represents a essential progress for road safety in Quebec.

Research shows that an alcohol level of 0.05 already increases the risk of fatal accidents significantly, and this quadruples when the level reaches between 0.05 and 0.08supports Maison Jean Lapointe, citing a study by the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec.

Éduc’alcool, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary, says it is an independent organization whose role is to encourage the Quebec population to make informed choices regarding responsible consumptionwe can read on its site.

Éduc’alcool aims to be recognized, accepted and supported by Quebec society as a credible and independent authority on responsible consumption, it continues.

Reducing the blood alcohol limit to 50 mg/100 ml would require modifying the Highway Safety Code.

The SAAQ has already considered a sanctions regime in an analysis it made public this week.

For example, on the first offense, there could be a 3-day administrative suspension of the driver’s license, a fine between $300 and $600 and 4 demerit points.

For the second offense in the last 10 years, only the suspension would be longer, 7 days.

But for the third offense or more, the license suspension would be 30 days, the vehicle would be seized for 7 days, but the fine would still be between $300 and $600 and 4 demerit points would still be imposed.