The federal government is not considering making cellphone use at the wheel a criminal offence. A spokeswoman for Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said Thursday provincial laws already exist to crack down on the dangerous practice. Garneau was not available for an interview Thursday and referred the request to the justice minister. "Using a handheld cellphone while driving, or texting while driving, can already be prosecuted under existing provisions of the Criminal Code when this behaviour becomes 'dangerous driving'," Joanne Ghiz, a spokeswoman for Wilson-Raybould, said in an email. Road safety is a serious public safety concern and our government is committed to ensuring the safety of our roads and highways."

Source: CBC News August 25, 2016 23:48 UTC