TREMEK
Legacy Member
The Quebec government will introduce a bill this fall that would allow road-collision victims to sue drivers found criminally responsible for the crash, says Justice Minister Marc Bellemare.
In an interview with all-news station LCN on Tuesday, the Liberal minister said the bill would strip convicted motorists of their right to compensation under the provincial no-fault insurance plan.
"Is it normal for the state to use public funds to reimburse a person who is hurt while committing a criminal road offence?" asked Bellemare, who has said the "unjust" no-fault system drove him to join the Liberals.
"This is not acceptable, in my opinion," added Bellemare, a Quebec City lawyer.
Under Quebec law, all parties in road collisions can file an insurance claim with the provincial auto insurance board.
The Liberals, who took power last month, have said motorists would be discouraged from drinking and driving on Quebec roads if perpetrators were forced to pay.
Bellemare, who has represented families of people injured or killed on the roads, said the legislative changes would not be studied by a committee before they're tabled in the legislature.
He explained that the Parti Quebecois government, which lost the April 14 election, has held three rounds of public consultations on the issue since 1996.
Bellemare didn't appear sympathetic when asked whether his proposals would drown some road offenders in legal fees.
"We have choices to make," said Bellemare.
"Right now it's the victims of criminal acts who are the poor ones."
"These victims are partially compensated by the public regime, which doesn't take into account everything they went through."
In an interview with all-news station LCN on Tuesday, the Liberal minister said the bill would strip convicted motorists of their right to compensation under the provincial no-fault insurance plan.
"Is it normal for the state to use public funds to reimburse a person who is hurt while committing a criminal road offence?" asked Bellemare, who has said the "unjust" no-fault system drove him to join the Liberals.
"This is not acceptable, in my opinion," added Bellemare, a Quebec City lawyer.
Under Quebec law, all parties in road collisions can file an insurance claim with the provincial auto insurance board.
The Liberals, who took power last month, have said motorists would be discouraged from drinking and driving on Quebec roads if perpetrators were forced to pay.
Bellemare, who has represented families of people injured or killed on the roads, said the legislative changes would not be studied by a committee before they're tabled in the legislature.
He explained that the Parti Quebecois government, which lost the April 14 election, has held three rounds of public consultations on the issue since 1996.
Bellemare didn't appear sympathetic when asked whether his proposals would drown some road offenders in legal fees.
"We have choices to make," said Bellemare.
"Right now it's the victims of criminal acts who are the poor ones."
"These victims are partially compensated by the public regime, which doesn't take into account everything they went through."
