[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: Demonstration Planned for Monday January 26th

[Terrie]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Catherine Gardner <catherinegardner at magma.ca>
Date: 2009/1/22
Subject: Demonstration Planned for Monday January 26th
To: Catherine Gardner <catherinegardner at magma.ca>


 *For Immediate Release*



*Demonstration at Parliament Hill*

* *

*Monday, January 26th at 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.*

* *

*Ottawa residents are demanding that the Federal Government include Ottawa
in the Drivers Hours of Service Regulations*

* *

*All* persons affected by the OC Transpo strike are urged to join in a
peaceful demonstration at Parliament Hill on Monday, January 26th at 11:00
a.m. (the march will start at City Hall at 10:30)



This demonstration is being organized by Community Advocate Catherine
Gardner who is asking City of Ottawa residents of all ages, business owners,
service providers etc to attend and to demand that members of Parliament
change their Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations to
include Ottawa's OC Transpo which is one of only three Cities across Canada
which are presently exempt!



According to the Drivers Hours of Service Regulations
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2005/20051116/html/sor313-e.html OC
Transpo is exempt because the service is provided in a municipality, in
contiguous municipalities or within 25 km of the boundary of the
municipality or contiguous municipalities in which the public transit
service is provided.  The exemption means that there is no limit as to how
many hours or days in a row an OC Transpo driver can work.



Gardner feels that if OC Transpo were included in the regulations that we
would not be without transit service at this time as the scheduling which
appears to be the most contentious issue for striking workers and the City
would probably not be on the table! She also feels that both drivers (OC and
other drivers) and riders would be safer as the OC drivers would be limited
as to how many hours / days they could work.



At a Special City Council meeting held on Thursday, January 15th it was
disclosed that Ottawa is one of only three Cities in Canada which the public
transit services are exempt under the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of
Service Regulations, which means that residents of these three cities are
denied the same safety as the rest of Canadians. The other two public
transit services which are exempt include Windsor and the STO (Gatineau)



At this same meeting City Council passed a motion that they would request
the Federal Government include Ottawa in the Commercial Vehicle Drivers
Hours of Service Regulations so that residents of Ottawa could have the same
safety as all other Canadians.



Although the main demonstration will be held at Parliament Hill, Gardner is
hoping that a number of *people will start off at City Hall (Laurier St.
entrance) at 10:30 *where she is hoping that *all* members of City Council
will join in the march to Parliament Hill and that with the support of
residents the Mayor and other Councillors will publicly request that Ottawa
be included in this regulation.  She also wants members of City Council and
members of Parliament who will be back in session that morning to see the
faces of those affected by the OC Transpo strike!



Gardner will be asking Para users who are not able to make it to this
demonstration to please leave bookings that day for those with medical
appointments and for those wishing to get to the demonstration. She will
also be asking residents and community groups to help those without
transportation including seniors, students etc to get there.



This demonstration is expected to go whether or not the strike is ended as
it is a safety issue as well as a Human Rights Discrimination issue for
residents of Ottawa who are being denied the same safety protection as other
Canadians!



To help out or for more information please go to www.catherinegardner.ca .



------ 30 ------



Catherine Gardner

Community Advocate, www.catherinegardner.ca

Cans for Pets Recycling Program www.cansforpets.ca

Freelance Photojournalist, www.pbase.com/catherinegardner

(613) 726-3609 (Voice / TTY)



[image: Northern Hawk Owl Photo]





-- 
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
"If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant." June Callwood
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and
renders the present inaccessible.  Maya Angelou
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