OPP enforcing Move Over law this long weekend
Ontario Provincial Police, including officers in the northeast, are targeting drivers who don’t move over for emergency vehicles or tow trucks this long weekend.
The OPP says their annual Move Over Campaign includes ‘robust’ enforcement and education.
Provincial Police report the Highway Traffic Act requires drivers to slow down and proceed with caution when approaching an emergency vehicle or tow truck stopped or parked on the side of the road and, if safe to do so, move over one lane.
Despite the law coming into effect nearly 20 years ago, the OPP says they laid close to 900 charges last year.
Fines range from $490 to $2,000 fine plus three demerit points upon conviction.
Throne Speech
The Ford government will open the newest session of the legislature with a throne speech on August 9th.
Lieutenant-Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell will deliver the government’s priorities a day after the start of the first session since the Conservatives won the June provincial election.
The first order of business will be the budget, which was unveiled as the Tories’ election program but not passed in the spring.
Premier Ford has said there will be some minor changes, including the five percent increase in Ontario Disability Support Program payments the party promised during the election campaign.
Conservative debate
Yet another candidate for the federal Conservative leadership is pulling out of the party’s
leadership debate scheduled for next Wednesday.
Leslyn Lewis joins Pierre Poilievre in deciding not to participate in the third debate.
Poilievre has said he won’t attend because he’s concentrating on turning out the vote.
Candidates who refuse to debate will be fined 50 thousand dollars by the party.
The results of the leadership race are to be announced on September 10th.
No trust in Hockey Canada leadership
The co-chair of the Commons Heritage Committee says people across the country have lost faith in the leadership of Hockey Canada.
Conservative MP John Nater says the organization’s management should resign, over the way they’ve handled sexual assault allegations against the 2018 and 2003 national junior hockey teams.
Hockey Canada President Scott Smith has said he won’t quit adding he’s prepared to accept responsibility to make the changes needed to ensure the situation doesn’t arise again.
Ukraine grain
United Nations officials say shipments of grain from Ukrainian ports could resume shortly, but there are still critical details to be worked out.
They say Russian and Ukrainian teams are working with Turkish and U-N groups at a coordination centre set up in Turkey, following last week’s agreement to open the ports to food exports.
They’re trying to finalize a standard operating procedure to ensure the safety of ships and their crews.
