Canada’s new Transport Minister was caught driving drunk in 2010, according to police documents reviewed by the Halifax Chronicle Herald.
Mr. Rodriguez had “lightly red eyes” after crashing his car in a Montreal neighbourhood. According to officers, he smelled of booze.
After initially refuting his consumption of alcohol, he later confessed to the authorities that he had driven from Ottawa and downed “two small glasses of wine.”
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez within his cabinet, from Minister of Heritage to Minister of Transport. A job he has experience for, apparently.
Rodriguez earns the new role despite being charged by police in 2010 for refusing a breathalyzer after getting pulled over.
“Rodriguez breathed very weakly and cut his breath repeatedly, all the while holding the plastic tip at the edge of his lips,” the police report stated, as reported by Macleans in 2010.
The officer’s report continued, “Rodriguez told me several times that we were going to damage his career that he had taken 30 years to build.”
“He also mentioned that he hoped that it wasn’t because he was in the Liberal party that I was charging him. I told the monsieur that I was only doing my job.”
Rodriguez later said “Despite my attempts to blow into the device, which were not deemed satisfactory, a charge of refusing to co-operate was laid.”
Under the new rules set in the Criminal Code by the Trudeau government, failing to provide a breath sample is a criminal offense and leaves offenders with a lasting criminal record. Rodriguez’ refusal dates prior to that law changing. As Rodriguez claimed, he was charged with driving under the influence.
“There are no other charges — like, for instance, driving under the influence. There are no others,” he said in 2010.
Censorship as Minister of Heritage
Rodriguez leaves his role as Minister of Heritage after bungling Bill C-18 so much that Canadians aren’t able to access news on Facebook or Instagram.
The Counter Signal has reached out to the minister for comment and will update this story if and when he responds.
