On top of all the billion-dollar boondoggles which
keep surfacing in Ontario, along comes something that will impact on the mobility
of seniors.
Everyone in Ontario Should Know About this Fraud. When an email comes through asking me to distribute
far and wide, I always do my own research to ascertain its validity. So much garbage is fed through the internet with
no basis in truth. However, while
researching this email, I was able to locate the originator of the email, with
whom I’ve been in contact, and here we are. I will let you draw your own
conclusions but I, for one, am appalled to say the least – read on…
The
Ontario Ministry of Transportation introduced discriminatory restrictions and
special testing for older drivers in Ontario, under the false pretension that
older drivers constitute a significantly higher risk in traffic.
In
November of 2012, I conducted research, obtaining every valid statistic in Canada
and a major Australian Study that used Canadian statistics. These
studies, including statistics from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, revealed
that consistently, year after year, the older drivers have had fewer accidents
than any other drive group, and as they age, have fewer still.
A charge
was laid against the Ministry of Transportation, in November of 2012, under the
Ontario Human Rights Act. After six months of intense correspondence, the
Ontario Human Rights Tribunal dismissed my complaint on the grounds that
the Ministry and all its agencies are exempt.
I
continued my pursuit, by going directly to the Minister of Transportation.
After hounding him for a number of weeks, received an email, admitting that the
Ministry did not have the statistical justification to enact the discriminatory
legislation against the elderly drivers, but had proceeded anyway. I
presume on preconceived views about the elderly.
This does
not only make this law illegal, but it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedoms, The Human Rights Act, The Criminal Code on Elder Abuse, and the
person’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
If you
are still feeling comfortable, consider what is coming. The Toronto Star
recently featured an article called “Driving With Dementia, The New Impaired
Driver”. In this article, it states that 28% of drivers over 65 years of
age and older, have dementia, and suggests that these people should be given a
test, presently being used in Alberta, called the Simard MD Protocol.
This test has no credibility with the Academic and Professional Organizations, who
have come out stating that they are surprised that a Government would use a
test, which is not scientific, is unreliable, and sets the seniors up for
failure. 20% fail, 20% cannot be determined. This test is paid for
by the elderly $250.00 each time tested, and paid to a private firm.
Rumour
has it, that the Ontario Ministry of Transportation will be introducing
the Simard test in April of 2014.
Please
give this as much distribution as possible, in order to make the people of
Ontario aware of what their Government is doing. The only way to exercise
our rights is to seek remedy through the Courts; however, only wealthy
citizens can afford their rights.
Perhaps,
with wide distribution, we may find some legal firm, willing to something as a
public service.
Yours
Concerned,
Ed. Rockburne, RCMP Retired, Perth , Ontario,
(I have Ed’s contact information – if you can help, please let me know
and I will put you in touch with Ed Rockburne.)
