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Taxi drivers were the “front line that drove the front line to work” CTA says in COVID submission to Senate Committee

Rita Smith

Taxi drivers were “the front line that drove the front-line workers to work” and should be included in Canada’s proposed Pandemic Observance Day, says Marc Andre way of the Canadian Taxi Association (CTA).

Senate Bill 209 is now being considered by the Standing Affairs Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. If it is passed by the Senate and then the House of Commons, it will see March 11th in each and every year as “Pandemic Observance Day.”

“Our drivers have worked unceasingly during this pandemic to transport people suffering from Covid to and from medical appointments and even isolation centres,” Marc Andre Way, president of the Canadian Taxi Association, wrote in a submission to the Committee.

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Eight training programs provisionally approved for vehicle for hire drivers: Toronto

Rita Smith

“Eight programs have been provisionally approved pending a final submission and acceptance of their learning content; three programs require more information in several criteria areas; and one program was denied for not meeting the majority of the City’s criteria,” Naomi Ahmad wrote in an email on March 2nd.

“As directed by City Council, the City is working on the introduction of a mandatory Driver Training Accreditation Program (DTAP) for all vehicle-for-hire drivers. On November 9, 2021 the City reissued the call for applications for DTAP and received 12 applications. To be on the City’s list of approved training programs, third party training providers need to satisfy all mandatory criteria provided by the City and submit a course content which clearly demonstrates how it will meet the curriculum criteria.”

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Trudeau humiliated as even Senators he appointed were poised to vote against Emergencies Act

Lindsay Prescott

Trudeau was about to lose a vote in the Senate which was needed to ratify the Emergency Act, invoked to disperse a peaceful protest by the truckers Freedom Convoy in Ottawa. In addition, thousands of Canadians moved their bank accounts and investments out of the country fearing that their money might be frozen by Trudeau.

Senator David Wells from Newfoundland said: “The Government saw the writing on the wall and pulled the plug. Cabinet ministers and the government Senate leader started calling senators to assess support for continuation of the Act. The numbers weren’t looking good… That’s when the decision was made.”

The morning before Trudeau backed down, Pierre Dalphond, a Senator Trudeau himself had appointed from Quebec said: “I have decided to vote against the motion to authorize the continuation of the state of emergency, out of concern about the lack of judicial oversight in the freezing of assets,” because he believes it violates “the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.”

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Trudeau revokes Emergencies Act as bank accounts close, before Senate vote

Rita Smith

At 4:10 pm on February 23, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revoked the Emergency Act for which he argued passionately only 48 hours before.

Liberal insiders and observers tell Road Warrior News there were two pressing reasons for Trudeau’s about face: first, the damage being done to the Canadian banking system through the credibility lost when Canada began seizing and freezing bank accounts with no court orders.

Second, is the idea that the Senate might actually vote not to support the Emergencies Act, or might vote “yes” by such a small margin it would embarrass Trudeau.

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Ontario to launch police use of automated plate recognition technology, eliminate license renewal fees for non-commercial vehicles

Rita Smith

Ontario is investing in Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology, it announced February 22nd.  An ALPR system can read thousands of licence plates per minute allowing officers to process more information on licence plates. It also has the capability of capturing vehicles of interest such as amber alerts, drivers with a suspended licence, and stolen vehicles.

Automated/automatic license plate recognition systems capture computer-readable images that allow law enforcement to compare plate numbers against plates of stolen cars or cars driven by individuals wanted on criminal charges. The devices are mounted on police cars, road signs or traffic lights and capture thousands of images of plates.

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How are protesters’ bank accounts “unfrozen?” Senator Batters asks during debate

RWN Staff

Today, Canadian Senators begin their second day of debate on Justin Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act.

As noted last week in Road Warrior News, because a large number of Senators are not ostensibly not considered to be affiliated to a political party, there is a slim possibility that the Senate could vote to block use of the Act.

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Ontario removing Tolls on Highways 412 and 418

RWN Staff

WHITBY — The Ontario government is removing tolls on Highways 412 and 418, effective April 5, 2022.

In a media release posted on February 18th, the province announced that these toll removals would be permanent.

Highways 412 and 418 are two north-south oriented highways connecting Highway 401 to Highway 407 in Durham Region. Toll rates for the provincially owned Highway 407 extension were temporarily frozen until May 31, 2021. Toll rates on the privately owned and operated 407 ETR are not impacted by these measures.

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