Thousands of protest e-mails to MPPs across our province and a Facebook campaign by almost 150,000 young people drew attention to an unpopular provision in the McGuinty government’s proposed Road Safety Bill.
But it was repeated questioning of Transportation Minister Jim Bradley by Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell that brought Bradley’s admission in the Legislature on Tuesday that the clause is being dumped.
The proposed legislation seeks to tighten up on teen drivers who hold a G-2 licence.
Mitchell says the restriction to having just one teen passenger was a bad idea.
Mitchell says heavy lobbying at Queen’s Park by rural MPPs of all parties also helped and that she’s happy and relieved the provision is being removed.
Mitchell praises young people for their involvement in the grassroots e-mail and Facebook campaign.
She says it’s likely the first time most of the teens who spoke out have dealt directly with government and that it’s an example of how good government works in a democracy.
Mitchell says the rest of Bill 126 is basically sound and will help save lives on our roads.
Mitchell says she is part of the process that will see hearings held across Ontario in the months to come and wants to hear especially from residents of rural and Northern Ontario.
Mitchell was among a number of rural MPPs who were inundated with protests from teens unhappy with the “one teen passenger” provision.
NDP member Gilles Bisson says if the McGuinty government had done its homework in the first place, it wouldn’t have had to make an embarrassing public retreat on the issue.
The passenger restriction for teen G-2 drivers between midnight and 5am will remain in place, as will automatic licence suspensions for speeding and a zero blood-alcohol content for drivers 21 and younger.
