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The impaired driving legislation now before Parliament changes the definition of a vessel so that it “does not include a vessel that is propelled exclusively by means of muscular power.” The legislation could still be amended before it becomes law.

This isn’t sitting well with the Canadian Safe Boating Council, who testified before the House of Commons committee studying the bill on Monday.

Michael Volmer, the CSBC’s vice-chair, said this will complicate their public awareness campaigns about the danger of boating under the influence.

“Fundamentally we need the law to back up our position, and changing this definition is a very difficult concept I’m afraid from our point of view,” he told MPs.

John Gullick, chair of the CSBC, argued that the comparison with biking is wrong.

“The only person who gets hurt is the person riding the bicycle. Well, in the case of muscular or human-powered vessels, there can be far many more numbers of people in the vessel, and it also affects people around the vessel. First responders, people who are searching for people who get lost or get in trouble.”

The committee later heard from Greg Yost, a justice department counsel for criminal law matters. He said the intention of criminal impaired driving laws is to target those who are endangering the public, and that drunk canoeists who cause a death could still be charged under other criminal sections, such as negligence.

Asked by MPs whether he was aware of a drunk canoeing charge ever standing up in court, Yost said he hasn’t examined it deeply, but was unaware of any example where it did.

• Email: bplatt@postmedia.com | Twitter: btaplatt

Correction: This story originally misidentified the age of the man charged over the canoe-tipping on the Muskoka River. He was in fact 37 years old. The story has been updated.