In a sudden swerve late Thursday afternoon, MPI changed lanes on its decision to issue driver’s licences to some high school students without subjecting them to a road test.
Just three hours after MPI’s board chair defended the Crown corporation’s plan to put driver-education grads in the passing lane during the ongoing strike by 1,700 of its workers, the public insurer slammed on the brakes.
“Effective immediately, Manitoba Public Insurance… is pausing its plans to waive the Class 5 road test requirement for eligible graduates of the Driver Z program,” a news release issued just before 5 p.m.
Only three hours earlier, MPI board chair Ward Keith told reporters that the corporation remained confident in its plan announced Wednesday to grant licences to graduates of the Driver Z education program without first passing a road test, in an effort to address a growing backlog while 1,700 Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union members are on strike. He said the rookie, but much-practised drivers could be on the road next week.
“MPI officials will be monitoring this program very closely, and will make revisions if necessary,” MPI board chair Ward Keith said Wednesday..
MPI attributed Thursday’s surprising U-turn to an “overwhelming response from the driver education community” that allowed the corporation to hire a sufficient number of outside instructors on contract to cross the picket line in order to test all Class 5 applicants.
The statement suggested the waiver plan could reappear if the strike is a lengthy one.
Regulations under The Driver and Vehicles Act state “an applicant for any class of licence must pass the knowledge examination and the practical road test required for each class of licence for which application is made.”
Opposition response
Before the road test waiver program was suddenly axed late Thursday, provincial party leaders criticized it as unsafe and unnecessary.
NDP leader Wab Kinew said one of his children is starting the Driver Z program next week and safety was front of mind for him.
“Under the PC plan, not only are workers not getting a fair wage, but potentially folks who aren’t ready to get that licence will be given one,” he said at an unrelated press conference. “So as a parent, it’s about safety. As a Manitoban, I think everybody wants to think about safety first.”
Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont said the Tories are trying to score political points with their base and win votes with the strike, calling it “an incredibly bad idea.”
Before the road test waiver program was suddenly axed late Thursday, provincial party leaders criticized it as unsafe and unnecessary.
NDP leader Wab Kinew said one of his children is starting the Driver Z program next week and safety was front of mind for him.
“Under the PC plan, not only are workers not getting a fair wage, but potentially folks who aren’t ready to get that licence will be given one,” he said at an unrelated press conference. “So as a parent, it’s about safety. As a Manitoban, I think everybody wants to think about safety first.”
Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont said the Tories are trying to score political points with their base and win votes with the strike, calling it “an incredibly bad idea.”
“The reality is the PC government is using strikes as a campaign tool. These are strikes being chosen by the PC government. They’re picking fights with unions because they think it’s politically convenient for them. There’s no need for these strikes to be taking place at all and it’s because the government is being unreasonable across the board,” Lamont said.
“It’s outright dangerous to be handing out drivers’ licences to people who haven’t had road tests,” he said. “I cannot believe that anyone would even consider this for a moment.”
— Danielle Da Silva and Katie May
Keith said MPI was “in discussions” with the provincial government to bypass that regulation and make “whatever regulation changes are necessary to clearly articulate the authority of the Registrar in this case.”
“MPI is confident that the Registrar of Motor Vehicles has the authority to recognize successful completion of the Driver Z program, and its associated student evaluations, as equivalent to the driver-examination requirements currently referred to in legislation,” he told reporters at the early afternoon news conference.
Manitoba’s Registrar of Motor Vehicles is employed by MPI.
For its part, the provincial government couldn’t explain how MPI’s attempt to issue licences to drivers who did not pass a road test would not break the law. A spokesperson for Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen, who is responsible for MPI, wouldn’t say if regulatory changes were ordered to accommodate MPI’s plans, nor would they offer any legal rationale to support MPI’s position.
“The Manitoba government respects MPI’s function and its commitment to safe contingency planning that is responsive to the continuing service expectations of all Manitobans. Working with MPI, we are reviewing its plans and underlying authority on an expedited basis,” Goertzen’s spokesperson said in an email.
While MPI appeared relieved to have convinced an adequate number of driving instructors to cross the picket line, there were many who refused to buy in.
Neena Bedi, the owner of Neena’s Driving School, was one of a dozen instructors who marched with striking workers at the Bison Drive service centre Thursday morning.
She said private instructors aren’t trained to conduct road tests safely and there are ethical questions about performing both teaching and testing roles.
“Even though, as an instructor, I can go and make money, it’s not correct. It’s not right,” she said, adding that MPI’s now-aborted licensing plan left safety considerations at the side of the road.
MPI initially defended the plan by arguing that students who complete the Driver Z program are more likely to pass road tests and be safer motorists.
An MPI analyst with nearly a decade of experience told the Free Press that was misleading.
“Even though, as an instructor, I can go and make money, it’s not correct. It’s not right.”–Neena Bedi, Neena’s Driving School
“The majority, I would say, of Driver Z students performed well on the road tests, but what the policy fails to consider is the ones that didn’t,” said the analyst, who did not want to be identified.
“Without specific numbers, (there are) hundreds of drivers-ed students every year who fail the road test repeatedly. So these are drivers that are not prepared to drive safely and independently.”
Striking road-test examiners were “disturbed” by the plan’s announcement, said one with more than a decade of experience.
“Ward Keith is saying that he has no safety concerns. Well, he doesn’t have the credentials to say that,” said the examiner. “He was never a driver examiner, he’s never come and spent a week with us and did ride-alongs to see what we see.”
“Ward Keith is saying that he has no safety concerns. Well, he doesn’t have the credentials to say that.”–Examiner
He said 70 per cent of Driver Z graduates fail their first road test, including a few who did not know how to start the vehicle.
Striking staff have heard MPI is paying instructors who cross the picket line more than what MGEU members had been offered.
“There was nothing in the works before the strike,” he said. “There was no conversation, no talk of them ever getting rid of road tests for Driver Z students. So basically, they’re just doing what’s convenient for them.”
Human Resources Officers must be very busy these days what with the general turnover of employees in our retail and business sectors. It is hard enough to find skilled people let alone potential employees willing to be trained. Then after the training, a few weeks go by then they come to you and ask for a raise. You refuse as there simply is no excess money in the budget and away they fly to wherever they come from, trained but not willing to put in the time to achieve that wanted raise.
I have had potentials come in and we give them a test to see if they do indeed know how to weld, polish or work with wood. 2-10 we hire, and one of those is gone in a week or two. Ask that they want overtime, and their laughter leaving the building is loud and unsettling. Housing starts are doing well but way behind because those trades needed to finish a project simply don’t come to the site, with delay after delay. Some people’s attitudes are just too funny. A recent graduate from a Ivy League university came in for an interview. The position was mid-management potential, but when we told them a three month period was needed and then they would make the big bucks they disappeared as fast as they arrived.
Government agencies are really no help, sending us people unsuited or unwilling to carry out the jobs we offer. Handing money over to staffing firms whose referrals are weak and ineffectual. Perhaps with the Fall and Winter upon us, these folks will have to find work and stop playing on the golf course or cottaging away. Tried to hire new arrivals in Canada but it is truly difficult to find someone who has a real identity card and is approved to live and work here. Who do we hire? Several years ago my father’s firm was rocking and rolling with all sorts of work. It was a summer day when the immigration officers arrived and 30+ employees hit the bricks almost immediately. The investigation that followed had threats of fines thrown at us by the officials. Good thing we kept excellent records, photos and digital copies. We had to prove the illegal documents given to us were as good as the real McCoy.
Restauranteurs, builders, manufacturers, finishers, trades-based firms, and warehousing are all suspect in hiring illegals, yet that becomes secondary as Toronto increases its minimum wage again bringing our payroll up another $120,000. Survival in Canada’s financial and business sectors is questionable for many. Good luck Chuck!. at least your carbon tax refund check should be arriving soon.
NORMAN WELLS, N.W.T. – Imperial Oil says it will temporarily reduce its fuel prices in a Northwest Territories community that has seen costs skyrocket due to low water on the Mackenzie River forcing the cancellation of the summer barge resupply season.
Imperial says in a Facebook post it will cut the air transportation portion that’s included in its wholesale price in Norman Wells for diesel fuel, or heating oil, from $3.38 per litre to $1.69 per litre, starting Tuesday.
The air transportation increase, it further states, will be implemented over a longer period.
It says Imperial is closely monitoring how much fuel needs to be airlifted to the Norman Wells area to prevent runouts until the winter road season begins and supplies can be replenished.
Gasoline and heating fuel prices approached $5 a litre at the start of this month.
Norman Wells’ town council declared a local emergency on humanitarian grounds last week as some of its 700 residents said they were facing monthly fuel bills coming to more than $5,000.
“The wholesale price increase that Imperial has applied is strictly to cover the air transportation costs. There is no Imperial profit margin included on the wholesale price. Imperial does not set prices at the retail level,” Imperial’s statement on Monday said.
The statement further said Imperial is working closely with the Northwest Territories government on ways to help residents in the near term.
“Imperial Oil’s decision to lower the price of home heating fuel offers immediate relief to residents facing financial pressures. This step reflects a swift response by Imperial Oil to discussions with the GNWT and will help ease short-term financial burdens on residents,” Caroline Wawzonek, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Infrastructure, said in a news release Monday.
Wawzonek also noted the Territories government has supported the community with implementation of a fund supporting businesses and communities impacted by barge cancellations. She said there have also been increases to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy in Norman Wells, and continued support for heating costs for eligible Income Assistance recipients.
Additionally, she said the government has donated $150,000 to the Norman Wells food bank.
In its declaration of a state of emergency, the town said the mayor and council recognized the recent hike in fuel prices has strained household budgets, raised transportation costs, and affected local businesses.
It added that for the next three months, water and sewer service fees will be waived for all residents and businesses.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
TORONTO – A new report says many Canadian business leaders are worried about economic uncertainties related to the looming U.S. election.
The survey by KPMG in Canada of 735 small- and medium-sized businesses says 87 per cent fear the Canadian economy could become “collateral damage” from American protectionist policies that lead to less favourable trade deals and increased tariffs
It says that due to those concerns, 85 per cent of business leaders in Canada polled are reviewing their business strategies to prepare for a change in leadership.
The concerns are primarily being felt by larger Canadian companies and sectors that are highly integrated with the U.S. economy, such as manufacturing, automotive, transportation and warehousing, energy and natural resources, as well as technology, media and telecommunications.
Shaira Nanji, a KPMG Law partner in its tax practice, says the prospect of further changes to economic and trade policies in the U.S. means some Canadian firms will need to look for ways to mitigate added costs and take advantage of potential trade relief provisions to remain competitive.
Both presidential candidates have campaigned on protectionist policies that could cause uncertainty for Canadian trade, and whoever takes the White House will be in charge during the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
