Sunday, May 19, 2024

Feature/Profile

Compelling, in-depth coverage of the people and stories behind the news and their opinions.

Opinion/ColumnPropaganda WatchRide Hailing newsTaxi industry news

Don’t close the Uber Files! The spectacle continues right here, right now, today in Toronto

Rita Smith

Clearly, the Uber Files offer a platform for politicians to issue sweeping statements about how perfectly fine their behaviour was 10 years ago. But here’s where doubts creep in: their behaviour wasn’t perfectly fine then, and this story didn’t end 10 years ago. It’s happening right now, today. What if the Uber Files are nothing more than a cue for Uber and the politicians that enabled it to claim they are putting the past behind them and lull everyone back to sleep?

In Toronto, for example, Uber’s influence over the law didn’t end when Mayor Tory brought a motion to Council which offered ridesharing companies preferential rules, generously handing them a massive competitive advantage.

Uber’s influence is still as plain as the nose on your face in, for example, the situation occurring right this minute as Toronto’s Licensing division is lackadaisically moseying along in its third year of attempting to roll out a training program for Vehicle for Hire (VFH) drivers.

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DriveWise offers priority seating in fully approved training to DRVRhub students

RWN Staff

“Our next regularly scheduled session is on July 19th, and priority seating will be given to participants who have already obtained a DRVRhub certificate, but now cannot use it until Toronto makes a decision on whether those certificates will be honoured. No one knows how long that decision will take; and in the meantime, we know these drivers need to be working.”

According to City staff, 3602 Vehicle for Hire Completion Certificates were issued by DRVRhub in the 3 weeks it was operational; Toronto has not yet determined whether or not those Completion Certificates will be accepted in its VFH training program.

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Drivers demand accountability from Uber, governments, unions and policy makers after latest scandal

Guest Contributor

“I am not shocked at what has been revealed by the Uber Files. I experienced that everyday so why would I be surprised?” said Ejaz Butts, General Secretary of The International Alliance of App-based Transport Workers (IAAWT).

“If there is anything I feel on reading all the details it is simply that I am also now appalled by the number of people who participated and continued to participate in this criminal violation of the rights of workers and ordinary people.”

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NewsOpinion/ColumnTrucking

Dutch-Canadians warn Farmers about nitrogen control measures, government over reach

Rita Smith

Road Warrior News has polled Dutch-Canadian citizens and Farmers about the protests currently underway in Europe and found they are shocked and surprised current events in the Netherlands. Dutch Farmers have used their tractors to blockade highways and the airport, and one photo indicates they even towed away the Prime Minister’s private jet.

As they have since the earliest days of the protests, which have now spread to nations including Italy and Poland, the Dutch Farmers point to the Canadian Freedom Convoy as their inspiration.

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Opinion/ColumnRide Hailing newsTaxi industry news

The Uber Files: what do they mean? Do they mean anything at all?

Rita Smith

Today, Monday July 11, 2022, the Taxi/Ridesharing world is abuzz with information and comment on “The Uber Files,” published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

I am reading as fast as I can, and have received phone calls from numerous associates who have various interests in the files. Taxi, Ridesharing, Insurance, Finance, Government Relations, Lobbying, Media – everyone who has watched the Taxi/Uber scenario play out for a decade has an opinion on what the Uber Files mean for business and politics.

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Elvis: it’s worth the money to see it in theatre

Mike Murchison

The movie is fast paced, spanning the life, milestones, stresses, joys and heartbreaks of the most famous entertainer to walk the earth.

The story for the most part was accurate, down to the details of the wardrobe, which was expected, having the technical assistance of many of the people who served with Elvis on this “rocket to eternity.”

The portrayal of Colonel Tom Parker by Tom Hanks is nothing short of brilliant, and it left me with the idea that I had just witnessed, as a fly on the wall would have witnessed, what went down in some very critical periods during the relationship of Parker and Presley.

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Opinion/ColumnRide Hailing newsTaxi industry newsTrucking

Politicians are standing in the way of affordable energy

Guest Contributor

But we also have any number of other policies and legislation implemented and supported by the federal government to discourage or prevent exploration and development of Canada’s abundant oil and gas resources. These are resources that, if exploited properly, would make energy in Canada more affordable for all. The Trudeau/Singh cabal don’t want them exploited though. They want them locked in the ground. 

The surest way for them to do that is to make it nearly impossible to build pipelines: the lack of new pipeline infrastructure in Canada means we can’t move more oil and gas – either within Canada, to the US, or to our coasts to go abroad.  Existing pipes are full, so producers can’t produce more to put in them. But the market wants more product.

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