Bill named after injured ETS driver

An Edmonton bus driver who was permanently injured in an attack by a passenger was on Parliament Hill Thursday for the introduction of a private member's bill bearing his name.

"Bregg's Law" seeks to increase sentences for people convicted of assaulting transit operators. It was introduced by Edmonton-St. Albert Conservative MP Brent Rathgeber and is named for Edmonton Transit driver Tom Bregg.

"I would like to thank Mr. Bregg for his courage in sharing his story which serves as the inspiration for the Public Transit Operators' Act," Rathgeber told the House of Commons.

Bregg was savagely assaulted by a passenger in north Edmonton during the morning rush hour on Dec. 3, 2009. Gary Mattson punched Bregg, pulled him out of the driver's seat and then stomped on his face 15 times.

Mattson pleaded guilty to aggravated assault last year.

Bregg, a veteran driver with ETS, told an Ottawa news conference that he thinks the law is a great idea.

"Support my former co-workers. Make them safer on the job," he said.

It is unlikely Bregg will ever drive a bus again because he lost the vision in his right eye as a result of the attack.

"I spent about two months in ICU, in Edmonton," Bregg said. "Had a lot of family support. It was an ongoing process."

The Crown is seeking to have Gary Mattson designated a dangerous offender.