It’s that time of year again and WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH PEOPLE OUT THERE??????

From the news yesterday morning: Toronto Police have stopped almost 7,000 more vehicles than at this time last year. They submitted over 1,200 drivers to the roadside breath test and have charged 84 this year versus 65 last year with impaired driving. That is a 129% increase. Toronto Police also stated that they are receiving more calls from concerned motorists reporting perceived drunk drivers.

In the regions of Durham, York and Peel, the numbers are up as well. Comparative numbers against last year were not available.

Don’t people realize that from a legal viewpoint, you could be fined up to $50,000 and/or lose your licence for 12 months on a first offence?

Let’s look at it from another point of view—is your child’s life worth it when you drink and drive? If you are going to drink, then arrange for a taxi or other means of transport, so that you arrive alive. In Brampton, make arrangements with St. John Ambulance for a ride home and they will drive your car home as well. Check around in your community to see if there is a charitable agency doing the same. Keep in mind that the transit system of some municipalities will be offering free rides on New Year’s Eve.

But above all, if you are going to drink, don’t drive! Remember, that in Ontario, a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of between 0.05 to 0.08 will face an immediate suspension of 3 to 30 days!

Where were you 30 years ago this day?

It was a Saturday night when that train derailed sending the residents of Mississauga out of their homes. I know, our house was one of them.

I was a volunteer with St. John Ambulance then and we were called out at 06:30 on Remembrance Day. I was away from home for the duration helping to evacuate the hospital, nursing homes, old age homes and manning evacuation centres. One of the amazing things during that evacuation was that there was no instant communication like we have today, yet between the police, fire, ambulance and volunteer agencies, things got done.

Continue reading »

A number of shippers and carriers are concerned about the recent changes to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (TDG Act). Their concerns are centred around how they are to comply with ERAPs, security plan and security clearances sections of the TDG Act.

As Tranport Canada has not written any regulations for the changes to the Act, then there is nothing for shippers and carriers to comply with. The reasons these changes have been implemented are the upcoming Vancouver Olympics and the G8 summit next June to be held in Huntsville, ON.

The Act does provide for the Minister to issue interim orders. An interim order has been issued which states that anyone who has knowledge of the loss, theft or otherwise unlawfully interfered with dangerous goods must notify their local police and CANUTEC.

So until regulations are written and published in Gazette II or another interim order is issued, there is nothing for shippers or carriers to do. But seeing what is in the changes to the Act, it would be prudent for a company to start preparing if it has not already done so.

From the Toronto Star, May 21/09 – Halton police abandon cruisers that look like taxis

What is happening here is that Halton Police put a taxi-like light on top of unmarked cruisers. The text on the light reads: "POLICE 878-5511", not "TAXI".

Continue reading »