Details

Category: Bulletin

For Immediate Release

March 7, 2022

PMTC’s position on CCMTA Federal ELD Enforcement Timelines Announcement

Earlier today the CCMTA released a message to industry on Federal ELD Enforcement timelines. The full enforcement date was set to take effect on June 12^th of this year. In the release, which can be accessed below, the CCMTA have announced that full enforcement of the Federal ELD Regulation will be delayed until January 1^st of 2023. The current regime of enforcement through education & awareness will continue until that time.

“The PMTC is in favour of the delay of full enforcement of the ELD mandate. While we have always been in full support of the ELD regulation, the continued issues with a lack of approved devices have continued to plague the mandate, and although we now have 22 approved, industry has not been provided enough of a runway to select a device of their choice and implement it into their fleet in time for the June 12^th deadline. We are also waiting for a PKI vendor and system to be announced by Transport Canada that allows for ELD data to be transferred securely from the device to enforcement personnel, as well as enforcement protocols, training and how the regulation will be enforced uniformly between jurisdictions. This final delay provides enough time for industry to select a new approved device, or transition from their current device, in time to comply with the mandate, as well as provide enough time for regulators to address some of the issues mentioned. I suspect this will be the last delay in full enforcement we can expect to see, and carriers should ensure they are fully prepared to comply by January of 2023.”

https://ccmta.ca/web/default/files/PDF/ELD/ELDs%20-%20Messages%20for%20Industry%20-%20March%207%202022.pdf

Mike Millian

President, Private Motor Truck Council of Canada

Details

Category: Bulletin

E-Bulletin

Feb 15/2022

 

Dear PMTC Members and contacts.

 

Please see the message below from Transport Canada sharing information about yesterday’s emergency measures act. Couple areas of interest that may affect you.

 

1. Under the act, essential services, which includes Tow Trucks, can be compelled to provide services, such as towing vehicles out of an illegal blockade or occupation, if requested by authorities. Fair compensation is provided for these services. Under the act failing to comply can be penalized.
2. Vehicles that are participating/being used in an illegal blockade or occupation, and refuse to leave when requested, the vehicle can be seized, insurance suspended, and the owner of the vehicle can have corporate bank accounts frozen.

 

The PMTC is in full support of measures being taken to end these illegal blockades and occupations, that must not be allowed to continue to disrupt our international borders, our cities and peoples lives and livelihoods. We have expressed concern about the two above points, however.

 

On point 1, from a safety perspective for the tow operators to repercussions from the participants whose vehicles they are asked to tow.

 

On point 2, our area of concern was expressed not for those who are performing illegal activities and refusing to comply, but of a concern for a fleet owner or operator who may get caught up in these protests inadvertently and have no opportunity to defend themselves if they are not part of the actual blockade or occupation. We have been assured that instructions to officers will be to provide an opportunity for the vehicle operator to leave the protest area with the vehicle before these severe measures will be taken.

 

Le français suit l’anglais

Colleagues,

 

As you are aware, the Government of Canada has announced the declaration of a public order emergency under the Emergencies Act, to end disruptions, border blockades and the occupation of Ottawa’s downtown core. 

For information about the Emergencies Act and the Government’s authority to apply certain temporary measures in this context:

• the official news release can be found here;
• a backgrounder on Canada’s Emergencies Act (the Act) can be found here; and
• the Act, in its entirety, is posted here.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out should you have any questions or wish to discuss further.

 

****

Collègues:

 

Comme vous le savez, le gouvernement du Canada a déclaré l’état d’urgence en vertu de la Loi sur les mesures d’urgence, pour mettre fin aux perturbations, aux blocages à la frontière et à l’occupation du centre-ville d’Ottawa.

 

Pour obtenir des renseignements sur la Loi sur les mesures d’urgence et le pouvoir du gouvernement d’appliquer certaines mesures temporaires dans ce contexte:

• le communiqué de presse officiel se trouve ici;
• un document d’information sur Loi sur les mesures d’urgence (la Loi) se trouve ici; et
• la Loi, dans son entier, est affichée ici.

Comme toujours, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter si vous avez des questions ou si vous souhaitez en discuter davantage.

Details

Category: Bulletin

Continuing Protests in Ottawa and at Land Border Crossings

 

The PMTC was very disturbed with some of the images we saw and reports we heard out of Ottawa this past weekend. The desecration of national monuments of our fallen heroes, such as the tomb of the unknown soldier, and the statue of Terry Fox, were disgraceful and disrespectful acts.

The images we saw of people carrying the rebel flag, swastika’s, wearing the yellow Star of David, engaging in disrespectful behaviors and refusing to wear masks and follow public health guidelines while in public places, as well as stealing food from the Shepherds of Good Hope food kitchen were reprehensible acts that upset us all. Actions like this have no place in our Canadian Society, and do not represent the views of the industry, or that of Canadians, and must never be accepted.

The majority of the trucking industry, and the vast majority of drivers, were not involved in this convoy in any way, and continued to work to ensure our essential supplies were provided for.

For those drivers that were at the protest, and respectful, we thank you for protesting politely. We have even heard stories about a group of drivers who went to No Frills and purchased a bunch of food and donated it to the Shepherds of Good Hope. They also placed flowers at the war memorial after the actions mentioned earlier occurred. Actions like these are what represent the vast majority of our industry and Canadians.

The protesters that remain in Ottawa today however, it is time to pack up and leave. Your message has been heard. The people of Ottawa should be allowed to get back to their lives, which have been disrupted for three days now. People need to get to work, take their kids to school, and open their businesses, they very thing some of the protesters claim to be fighting for. The people of Ottawa are not being allowed to do these things right now as a result of the continued gridlock of Ottawa’s neighbourhoods.

The Convoy organizers have been able to raise a lot of funds as a result of this protest, close to $9 million at last count. If you haven’t already, to show your willingness to make reparations for the disgraceful actions of some, it would be a very nice gesture if you were to take some of the funds and make a donation to the Terry Fox Foundation, The Royal Canadian Legion as well as the Shepherds of Good Hope. Many in the Trucking Industry, who were not at the protest, already have, as will the PMTC. It would also be a nice and appropriate gesture to find a way to support some of the local Ottawa businesses that have been affected as well.

In recent days we have now seen land borders, Coutts, AB being the worst, being blockaded to impede traffic from crossing the international border. These actions slow international trade and put heavy constraints on an already depleted supply chain. While the PMTC does not support vaccine mandates for Truck Drivers and have and will continue to lobby gov’t to reconsider, we do not support the actions that have been taken in recent days to try to change them.

To be clear, while we do not support the vaccine mandate regulations for truck drivers, the PMTC Board is still in full support of people getting vaccinated. We believe in the science and the medical experts who tell us vaccinations are our best way out of this pandemic. We encourage everyone who can, to get vaccinated as soon as possible, for the health and safety of all of us.

Peaceful protests are allowed under the constitution, and are what makes Canada great, but when they begin to infringe on other citizens’ rights, their safety, ability to move freely, as well as their ability to make a living, that’s when things have been taken too far.

I am proud to have been part of this industry for 32 years, the first 8 as a driver. It is a great industry, that is full of proud hard-working men and women. The events we saw this weekend, which have been attributed to our industry have sullied the view of the industry in the eyes of many. Although for the most part, this turned into more of a protest then it did a Convoy, many in the public will still associate these actions to truckers. That is a shame, as many I have spoken with who were on the ground indicated passenger cars outnumbered trucks by a margin of at least 4 to 1, and the majority of the truckers there were peaceful, polite and respectful. Nevertheless, when you allow yourself to become part of something that gets out of hand, there is a price that comes with it.

To those who don’t share the views of the minority of bad actors we saw this weekend, with their use of language, signs, and actions, speak up, defend your industry, defend yourself, and more importantly, defend your fellow human beings! Let’s ensure we always show what it means to be a proud Canadian and a proud part of this industry, by doing the right thing!

 

Mike Millian

President

PMTC