Mandatory ignition interlocks and longer suspensions for blowing too high on a breathalyzer will likely not be enough to appease a leading Canadian lobby group for getting tougher on drunk drivers.

'We are still losing too many lives because of impaired driving.'— Transportation Minister Ron MacKinley

Transportation Minister Ron MacKinley introduced legislation Tuesday that will force repeat offenders to install ignition interlocks on their vehicles. That forces a driver to blow into a small black box connected to their ignition to prove they're sober.

In addition, suspensions for being close to the legal limit are going up. Right now, anyone who blows over .05 loses his or her licence for 24 hours. MacKinley is expanding that to a week.

"The problem we have here is that drunk driving has come down a lot, but we are still losing too many lives because of impaired driving," said the minister.

The province does have an ignition interlock program, but it is voluntary. If judges think drivers are a good candidate for the program, they can get their licences back early.

P.E.I. began talking about tougher rules last summer, when MADD Canada CEO Andrew Murie said making the interlock system mandatory after a second conviction isn't good enough.

"It's an improvement. I still think it's a half-step," said Murie.

"What we know now is that ignition interlocks save lives. They should go on the cars of all convicted drunk drivers, starting with the first time."

MacKinley said he's aware of MADD Canada's opinion, and left the door open to further restrictions in the future.

"That's something we're looking at but we're not doing it right now. I mean, this is quite a step," he said.

Forcing the ignition interlocks on all convicted drunk drivers could make P.E.I.'s rules the toughest in the country.