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OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has acquitted a Quebec man convicted of impaired driving after he was found drunk behind the wheel of his idling truck, waiting for a ride.

In a 6-1 decision, the justices say the trial judge was right to acquit Donald Boudreault, who was convicted in 2009 after the taxi driver he’d summoned for a ride home arrived to find him asleep in the driver’s seat.

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The justices say the Quebec Court of Appeal erred in setting aside the lower court ruling and convicting the man of having care or control of a vehicle while impaired.

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Writing for the majority, Justice Morris Fish says the trial judge was right to conclude that there was no realistic risk that the man, from Jonquiere, Que., would drive the vehicle while impaired.

He had come up with a plan to get home safely with a taxi service and was waiting with the motor running to stave off the -15 C temperature.