PRIVATE MEMBERS'
PUBLIC BUSINESS
VEHICLE SAFETY

Ms. Helena Jaczek: I move that, in the opinion of this House, a select committee be appointed to study the use of non-automobile modes of transportation on highways and private properties in Ontario and to offer recommendations for ensuring the safety of Ontarians who use such modes of transportation.

Specifically, the committee shall investigate and report on strategies for reducing injuries and fatalities related to the use of bicycles and non-automotive motorized vehicles, such as:

(1) Imposing minimum age requirements for operators and passengers of non-automobile motorized vehicles;

(2) Implementing safety training and licensing requirements for operators of non-automobile motorized vehicles;

(3) Requiring the use of protective equipment for operators and passengers of bicycles and non-automobile motorized vehicles; and

(4) Creating regulations regarding the appropriate size of certain classes of non-automobile motorized vehicles relative to operators and passengers.

The committee shall have the authority to conduct hearings, undertake research and do anything else it considers relevant to developing a strategy for reducing injuries and fatalities related to the use of non-automobile modes of transportation in Ontario.

The committee shall be composed of members representing all geographic regions of the province of Ontario.

The committee shall present a final report by no later than May 31, 2011.


The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Ms. Jaczek moves private member's notice of motion number 54. Pursuant to standing order 98, the member has 12 minutes for her presentation.

Ms. Helena Jaczek: At the outset, it's a great pleasure to introduce to members of this House Dr. Charles Tator, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Toronto. Dr. Tator has great interest, in particular, in head injury. I had the privilege of assisting him in the operating room more years ago than I care to remember.

I am very, very pleased to bring this important issue of safety to this House and to suggest a way we can prevent injury and fatality from non-automobile vehicles. First of all, I'm going to give you some alarming statistics on the incidents of injures and fatalities.

There are also new products coming to market that need consideration. I was pleased to receive an endorsement from the Insurance Bureau of Canada. As they point out, "Consumers have more choice about motorized transportation, and as new products are introduced, it's important that we consider the safety and training implications." It was recently brought to my attention that motorized bicycles are being advertised for sale on the Danforth here in Toronto with the following inducement in the store window: "No Insurance, No Licence, No Plate. Just Drive." We need to analyze these products from the safety perspective.

Dr. Jaczek received her medical degree and Masters of Health Science from the University of Toronto and later went on to pursue a Masters of Business Administration from York University. Practicing medicine for 11 years at the Etobicoke Medical Centre and Women’s College Hospital in Toronto is what gave Helena the drive to couple her knowledge of medicine with her passion for public service. Serving as Medical Officer of Health and the Commissioner of Health Services for York Region for well over 18 years Dr. Jaczek’s accomplishments did not go unrecognized. She received the Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Local Public Health Agencies and honoured for her Medical Leadership in York Region by receiving an award “In Celebration of Women”.

Born in England and came to Canada at age 12, Dr. Helena Jaczek was honoured to be elected to the Ontario Legislature in October 2007 as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Oak Ridges-Markham. Dr. Jaczek served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health Promotion, and is at the present, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Environment. Her background in environmental planning will be beneficial to the Ministry of Environment as in 2005 Dr. Jaczek received an Award for Environmental Planning from the Canadian Institute of Planners. Currently, Dr. Jaczek sits on the Cabinet Subcomittee on Health, Economy and Social Policy. She was also a member of the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions and played an integral role in its report Navigating the Journey to Wellness: A Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Ontarians. She is also the Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on General Government.

The Canadian Institute of Planners annual Awards for Planning Excellence honour planning projects judged on their excellence, innovation, impact on the profession, implementation potential, and overall presentation. All of these projects are deserving of recognition for their excellence in planning work, their contribution to the profession, and for showing particular strength in the category under which they won their award.

2006 Awards for Planning Excellence Recipients
...
Category of Environmental Planning / La catégorie Urbanisme environnemental
Focus on Our Enviroment, York Region's State of the Environment Report 2005
Regional Municipality of York, On
submitted by / présenté par Dr. K. Helena Jaczek, Bryan Tuckey MCIP, RPP, Diane Bladek-Willett, John B. Waller MCIP, RPP, Carolyn Pigeau, Laura Atkins-Paul, Joanna Kidd, Adrian Hall and Kimberly Gray

Taking Responsibility: What you can do:
(actually an alphabetic listing from A to Z but some of the letters are:)
Don't idle. Drive Your car less. Consider driving a smaller or more efficient car.
Switch to renewable energy.
Zero emissions. Walk or cycle instead of taking the car when possible. Do it for your health and the health of the environment.

Gotcha, so basically they are looking into ways they can license and regulate. That will go no where haha, awesome stuff.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Jim Wilson): Further debate?

Mrs. Elizabeth Witmer:There are issues to be addressed, and action has already been taken, but I just could not support another committee at this point in time. We just need to keep moving forward and addressing the current issues.

Ms. Cheri DiNovo: But suffice to say I'm going to support the bill. A select committee does good work, but its work is only worth it if the government acts.

Mr. Bas Balkissoon:I am pleased to rise today to support the resolution of my colleague, a motion to strike a select committee

Mr. Shafiq Qaadri: I would wholeheartedly support my colleague Dr. Helena Jaczek,

Mr. Norm Miller: I'm sure that the member from Oak Ridges-Markham means well and is genuinely concerned, but I would also say that you can't legislate common sense.

Mr. Gilles Bisson: I think the review is a good idea

Mr. Frank Klees: I will not be supporting the proposal for a select committee, and the reason is very straightforward: I am getting more and more frustrated with this government giving us a smoke-and-mirrors type of government. They bring forward resolutions, they bring forward private members' business, they even bring forward government legislation that, in concept, appears to be in the public interest, are good ideas, are welcomed by the public, get media headlines, and then they do nothing. I'm just simply not willing to play that game anymore.

I do want, however, to point attention to an excellent research document that has already been prepared, that is available to the member, and it was prepared by Share the Road Cycling Coalition-extensive research from jurisdictions around the world. I have here all of the recommendations. They number about 20 specific proposals that, should the government wish to implement them, are available. Stakeholders from across the province, from across the country, support them. We need not tie up another committee or create another committee to do that. Let's just take the information that's available to us, implement it and get on with it.


The Acting Speaker (Mr. Jim Wilson): The honourable member for Oak Ridges-Markham has two minute for her response.

Ms. Helena Jaczek: I'd like to certainly acknowledge the comments made by my colleagues from Kitchener-Waterloo, Parkdale-High Park, Scarborough-Rouge River, Etobicoke North, Parry Sound-Muskoka, Timmins-James Bay, and Newmarket-Aurora. I'd also like to acknowledge the presence-I believe he's still here-of Brian Patterson from the Ontario Safety League, who has, again, endorsed this particular resolution.

I must say that I'm a little disappointed and surprised that the PC caucus wishes to continue to have a piecemeal approach to what I think is a complicated issue in terms of injury prevention.

The member for Timmins-James Bay, I think, brought his perspective very clearly. What he had to say is the sort of thing that I would anticipate a select committee would be hearing: It would be hearing a diversity of views, and I truly believe the more inputs you have into decisions, the better they are.

Just to, yet again, remind the members-and I'll quote from a letter from the Insurance Bureau of Canada: "The Ministry of Transportation's annual road safety report shows startling statistics when it comes to injury and fatalities resulting from non-automobile accidents. These numbers climb higher each year."

An American study published in 2007 showed an increase of 86% in children's injuries from non-automobile motorized vehicle accidents in just 13 years.

It is certainly time to look at the issue in a comprehensive way. I do not believe a piecemeal approach would serve Ontarians well. We need to look at a whole range of circumstances, particular vehicles, other jurisdictions, to make a really reasoned, focused approach on this extremely important issue.


The Acting Speaker (Mr. Jim Wilson): The time for this ballot item has expired. We'll vote on Ms. Jaczek's resolution in about 100 minutes.

VEHICLE SAFETY

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Jim Wilson): We'll first deal with ballot item number 52, standing in the name of Ms. Jaczek.

Ms. Jaczek has moved private members' notice of motion number 54.

Is the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? I heard some noes.

All those in favour, please say "aye."

All those opposed, please say "nay."

In my opinion, the ayes have it.


Mr. Frank Klees: On division.

The Acting Speaker (Mr. Jim Wilson): Carried on division.

Motion agreed to.

Perhaps it might be prudent to rephrase this -"Now's the time to start attacking this person folks..." - I mean, it could sound a bit extreme outside these cyber-walls, if younomesaaayin?

Good idea . . too bad we have to join Facebook to edumacate this insurance company pimp, eh?
Thanks for the heads up cheers

...but the truth is, it's probably out of her hands now. Must see how one gets appointed to select committees... and watt the honorariums are like.
LocK

This is going to get interesting. The funniest part is that they will come to one of two conclusions mainly cus trying to license and maintain records on bikes and e-bikes would be ridiculous.