Powerful reporting. The contrast between Lauzon condemning exploitation of victims while simultaneously filibustering to prevent their testimony is almost Kafkaesque. I've seen this dynamic play out in local councils where procedural warfare becomes the substitute for actual governance. What really gets me is how a billion-dollar annual tax drain gets buried under arguements about hand-raising protocols and whether emails should be included in document requests.
Anyone taking bets on whether the Liberals want "Driver Inc" to bring in a flood of migrant drivers (legal or otherwise) to ensure there is never another Freedom Convoy?
Driver certification is provincial jurisdiction. If memory serves, commercial licenses require recertification if the driver moves but not if they're hauling through another province. That being said, it's become a running joke that whenever there's a heavy truck collision, tell the driver to tighten his turban and put his sandals before the police arrive.
For context, I worked in a traffic enforcement group back in the late 1990s including doing inspections on commercial vehicles. There have always been professional drivers who are excellent in all aspects of their jobs... and fools who shouldn't be allowed to drive a golf cart. So my knowledge of the legislation involved is both regional (BC) and dated.
That being said, whenever the media reports on collisions, it catches my eye. Physics is unforgiving and big trucks do a huge amount of damage.
Thank you for this disturbing update on ‘Driver Inc’ and the folly of this committee. Could this be linked legislatively to ongoing efforts to standardize trucking regulations throughout Canada’s interprovincial discussions. And do you have any information as to which provinces have more of these supposed contractor drivers? (I’m hoping the aforementioned might make sense, difficult thought day…)
You are spot on about the legislative confusion. The core issue is that Ottawa regulates interprovincial labour, but provinces control who can register a business. This allows drivers to incorporate provincially to dodge federal protections.
As for your question on location, the data is stark. A recent federal blitz found that 62% of Ontario carriers were non-compliant, compared to 42% in Quebec. The Transport Committee (TRAN) estimates this "Driver Inc" scheme drains $1 billion annually from public revenue.
Thank you, Hansard. If I were a politician I would hope to act quickly to close this billion dollar loophole. Even these days those funds are significant.
Powerful reporting. The contrast between Lauzon condemning exploitation of victims while simultaneously filibustering to prevent their testimony is almost Kafkaesque. I've seen this dynamic play out in local councils where procedural warfare becomes the substitute for actual governance. What really gets me is how a billion-dollar annual tax drain gets buried under arguements about hand-raising protocols and whether emails should be included in document requests.
Anyone taking bets on whether the Liberals want "Driver Inc" to bring in a flood of migrant drivers (legal or otherwise) to ensure there is never another Freedom Convoy?
Driver certification is provincial jurisdiction. If memory serves, commercial licenses require recertification if the driver moves but not if they're hauling through another province. That being said, it's become a running joke that whenever there's a heavy truck collision, tell the driver to tighten his turban and put his sandals before the police arrive.
For context, I worked in a traffic enforcement group back in the late 1990s including doing inspections on commercial vehicles. There have always been professional drivers who are excellent in all aspects of their jobs... and fools who shouldn't be allowed to drive a golf cart. So my knowledge of the legislation involved is both regional (BC) and dated.
That being said, whenever the media reports on collisions, it catches my eye. Physics is unforgiving and big trucks do a huge amount of damage.
Thank you for this disturbing update on ‘Driver Inc’ and the folly of this committee. Could this be linked legislatively to ongoing efforts to standardize trucking regulations throughout Canada’s interprovincial discussions. And do you have any information as to which provinces have more of these supposed contractor drivers? (I’m hoping the aforementioned might make sense, difficult thought day…)
You are spot on about the legislative confusion. The core issue is that Ottawa regulates interprovincial labour, but provinces control who can register a business. This allows drivers to incorporate provincially to dodge federal protections.
As for your question on location, the data is stark. A recent federal blitz found that 62% of Ontario carriers were non-compliant, compared to 42% in Quebec. The Transport Committee (TRAN) estimates this "Driver Inc" scheme drains $1 billion annually from public revenue.
Thank you, Hansard. If I were a politician I would hope to act quickly to close this billion dollar loophole. Even these days those funds are significant.