Public Safety and Calgary's Drug and DUI Laws

The belief that everyone accused of a crime in Calgary is entitled to a knowledgeable and vigorous defence is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and is central to my practice as a defence lawyer here in Calgary. No matter what someone is accused of, they deserve to be treated fairly and given a true chance to defend themselves, and my role as a lawyer is to make sure the criminal justice system affords my clients these rights.

My role as a defence lawyer and a Calgary citizen has also caused me to question many laws, including those related to impaired driving or "DUIs" throughout Alberta and the way drug use has been criminalized throughout Canada. I do not believe these laws are always fair or just, or that they achieve their intended purposes of improving public safety.

I think it's important to continue speaking out against laws that unfairly and needlessly make criminals out of productive and contributing members of the Calgary community, and I believe it's important to educate the people of Calgary so they can make more informed decisions and press lawmakers to make the changes they want to see.

I also recognize the real dangers of drunk driving and of using certain drugs without medical supervision, and want the people of Calgary to understand the impacts of their decisions on themselves, their families, and the larger Calgary community.

A better informed community is a more responsible community, and a more responsible community doesn't need, or allow, laws that restrict liberties in the name of protecting people from themselves. When it comes to DUI and drug laws, this would mean a society that is both safer and freer, and I think that's a goal worth working towards.