Bill 118
Dear Sirs
I have forwarded my letter from MPP Jim Bradly
regarding Bill 118 including response to my executive and a CC to MPP Bradly. We
have been lumped into the same category as cell phone users regardless of all
the public service work we do for this province. Were is RACs
voice?
Best Regards
David Hodson
VP NPARC
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 1:09 PM
Subject: Bill 118
Dear Sirs
To be circulated Canada wide.
I suggest this be posted on our website for the
Ontario Ham Community to digest..
Its seems this government has possibly forgotten
and lost track of why our ham plates are not vanity plates but functional and
that we are charged only 25 dollars for their purchase by the Provincial License
Bureau. This fore those not informed, is so we can be recognized by OPP etc. in
times when commercial communications are inadequate which is usually the norm
especially in northern Ontario. The fact is British Columbia has asked the ham
community to provide their communications at the upcoming Olympics. I would hate
to see this province loose a valuable asset and resource. I would also suggest
the work of Canwarn http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/canwarn/home-e.html in
which severe weather observers are totally handled by Federally licensed
hams reporting to the weather office in Toronto be considered and also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_Radio_Emergency_Service ARES
and Satern http://www.satern.org/.
73 Dave VA3UL
VP NPARC, Past President
Bill 118 reply
Hi Peter
Thank you for your response and information. Hopefully we will
be
successful in our endeavors.
Best Regards
David Hodson
VA3UL
Vice President, Past President, NPARC
----- Original
Message -----
From: "Peter West" <peter@peterwest.ca>
To: <ve3rnr@cogeco.ca>
Sent: Monday, March
16, 2009 1:30 PM
Subject: RE: Fw: Bill 118
Hi Dave,
Your
email in regards to the proposed cell phone ban in Ontario and Radio
Amateurs
of Canada's position was forwarded to me.
I'm pleased to see how involved
you and your club are in regards to this
important matter. It might prove
helpful if I shared some recent
developments.
Radio Amateurs of Canada
has met with Ministry of Transport staff in regards
to securing an exemption
for amateur radio operation in vehicles while in
motion. Our discussions were
most fruitful and deemed helpful by the staff.
We brought to their attention
that similar legislation in other
jurisdictions both proposed and passed has
included exemptions for the use
of two-way radio communications involving
transceiver type equipment and
some have gone so far as to specifically
exempt amateur radio.
We also emphasized the public safety and emergency
communications services
offered by amateur radio operators to their
communities. The ministry staff
were very interested in the differences
between communicating by cell phone
and two-way radio and recognized both the
relative short times of use of
two-way radio as compared to cell phone
talking or texting and to the nature
of the communications itself which tend
to be less intense than cell phone
communication to family or workplace
colleagues. Staff witnessed an actual
on-air demonstration of amateur radio
two-way communications and saw for
themselves how the vehicle operator was
never distracted or unaware of other
vehicle traffic and road
conditions.
The proposed bill is currently in the hands of staff and will
go before a
committee soon for input prior to being brought forward to
Legislature for a
vote likely to take place this Fall.
As it stands
today, it's unlikely that the minister has seen a draft of the
bill yet alone
have formed an opinion on whether or not amateur radio
operations should be
exempted. Other lobbyists including the powerful
Canadian trucking
association among other commercial users of two-way radio
communications are
meeting with Ministry staff and are likely to communicate
their concerns to
the committee that is formed if they feel at all
concerned. RAC will follow
suit should that necessity arise.
So for now, I can only suggest that
sending further communications to the
Minister (or MPPs) might be premature.
The letter that David Hodson received
from the Minister's office reflects the
political tone of the moment and in
fact seems a bit more informed than I
would have anticipated. I would draw
to your attention that last page where
the Minister states that "amateur
radio operator representatives will be
solicited for their input" and that
"the proposed law will bring Ontario in
line with best practices used in
other jurisdictions." This is very good
language as far as amateur radio is
concerned.
Hope this helps and
please let us know if you have any other thoughts on
this important
matter.
73
Peter West - VE3HG
905-616-5639
ve3hg@rac.ca
Vice-President, Public
Relations
Radio Amateurs of Canada