Ce que doit faire l'agent de la paix dans les meilleurs délais selon l'article 320.28 Ccr

R v Kluz, 2025 SKKB 9

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[13]                                 As noted, s. 320.28(1) requires that peace officers perform two tasks “as soon as practicable”:

a.      Make a demand on the accused for a breath sample; and

b.      Obtain the breath samples.

[14]                                 There are no issues taken on this appeal with the officer making the breath demand as soon as practicable. The issue is whether the breath samples were taken as soon as practicable.

[15]                                 In interpreting the phrase “as soon as practicable”, courts have made the following determinations:

a.      The phrase is not synonymous with as soon as possible: R v Vanderbruggen (2006), 2006 CanLII 9039 (ON CA), 206 CCC (3d) 489 (Ont CA) at para 12;

b.      The phrase is also not synonymous with the term “forthwith”: R v Racine, 2014 SKCA 73 at para 16, 438 Sask R 310;

c.      The “as soon as practicable” standard requires that breath samples be taken within a reasonably prompt time in the circumstances: R v Prestupa, 2016 SKCA 118 at para 16, 485 Sask R 152 [Prestupa];

d.      The test is grounded in common sense: Prestupa at para 19;

e.      The touchstone for determining whether breath samples were taken as soon as practicable is whether the police acted reasonably: R v Burwell, 2015 SKCA 37 at para 18, 472 Sask R 1 [Burwell];

f.      The Crown does not need to provide a detailed explanation of what occurred during every minute that the accused was detained: Burwell at para 18, R v Peepeetch, 2018 SKQB 65 at para 43, 23 MVR (7th) 257; and

g.      A delay caused by waiting for a tow truck does not necessarily create a situation where the sample is not taken as soon as practicable: R v Wetzel, 2013 SKCA 143 at para 22, 427 Sask R 261.