Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North):
My question today is for the Minister of Transportation.
Minister, we learned this weekend that your
office was working with an agency called the
National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running,
which in this case was promoting photo radar,
what we call the tax grab. Your office was aware
that this group is a front for photo radar camera
manufacturers, who stand to make outrageous
amounts of money if photo radar is brought back
to our province. Do you support this action
and do you believe that big photo radar companies
should be using your office as a promotional
tool to promote photo radar and make outrageous
amounts of money off of the citizens of our
province?
Hon Harinder S. Takhar (Minister of
Transportation): Let me tell you, I
am always interested in any initiative that
will improve safety on the roads.
The other thing is, I want to point out for
the record that -- the red light cameras were
in fact initiated by the previous government.
What we did was make them permanent at the request
of the municipalities, and we will consider
any initiatives that will improve safety on
our roads.
Mr Dunlop: I want to let you
know that we cancelled photo radar on this side
of the House.
Minister, this e-mail originating from your
office refers directly to someone who works
for Affiliated Computer Services, Inc as the
person organizing the event in question. The
person is not a registered lobbyist, contrary
to the Lobbyist Registration Act. This is clearly
more than stakeholder relations and relations
around public safety. This is allowing your
office to be used by a company that stands to
make outrageous amounts of money. When we opened
the properties on the electronic version of
the press release being issued, we learned that
the author was a staffer in your office. Minister,
why and for how much longer will your government
continue to act as an agent for this company?
Hon Mr Takhar: Maybe this will
come as a surprise to this member, but I want
to tell you that we are always interested in
working with all of our partners to improve
safety on the roads, and we will continue to
do so.
