Fainting may result in loss of drivers license

Bet you didn't know that... but apparently, there's a quiet little fiasco that's going on right here in Ontario.  It's true... if you have a medical condition such as diabeties, and have a non-diabetes related fainting spell because you simply stood up too fast, you very well could lose your drivers license.

It happened to a friend of mine, simply because someone wrote one INCORRECT fact down on a medical form.  And to get it corrected?  Turns out it's IMPOSSIBLE, you have to wait a MINIMUM of six months before you can get the situation corrected.

Give the story a read... it's time that this Catch-22 is corrected.

Must we choose between driving and seeing a doctor?
September 24, 2010

R. Douglas Coughey

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation acts as judge, jury and executioner in certain cases when it comes to deciding whether or not to revoke a driver’s license.

An editorial in this newspaper recently asserted that the opportunity to appeal rightly exists for those Ontario motorists who feel they were inappropriately pinched by a policy that sees many stripped of their driver’s licence on alleged medical grounds. If there was a working appeal mechanism, that might be all the relief that’s required for such citizens. But that’s not the case.

Ontario citizens should be aware that they are in danger of having their driver’s license suspended for six months or more over simply seeing a doctor.

Medical practitioners in Ontario are required by law to report to the ministry even single episodes of such incidents as fainting. They are not expected to determine if the incident is a one-time occurrence, a condition that can be cured or controlled with proper medical treatment, or a chronic condition that cannot be controlled or cured making it not safe for their patient to drive. They must just report the incident. That notification places such patients on the record with the ministry and often in deeper trouble than was caused by the original medical incident.

The ministry then decides a driver’s fate, and people are not invited to participate in that decision. People may not even be aware that the status of their licence is under review until after they have been found unsafe to drive – at least temporarily — and served with papers demanding they hand over their licence. Is this how we would expect to be treated?

The medical review board does not become involved until a licence suspension is completed, and people are eligible to re-apply for a new licence. It then decides whether the licence should be reinstated or the suspension extended.

The appeal tribunal process also takes months. The ministry provides no documentation to support its case against a driver. If someone can get those documents, it’s a good bet the ministry will stretch out the time it takes to release them. In addition, it can take months to make appointments with specialists, tests, and specialists again to explain the test results.

A tribunal official informed me the agency is so backlogged that it would take at least a month after it receives a request before it can will be reviewed. That’s no wonder, considering doctors must report every incident the ministry deems must be passed along.

I was informed by the ministry that there are thousands of citizens in a similar situation. I had my licence pulled after I saw a doctor following an isolated, non-driving, fainting spell this summer.

It’s all based on this clause in the Highway Traffic Act: “…every legally qualified medical practitioner shall report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles the name, address and clinical condition of every person 16 years of age or over attending upon the medical practitioner for medical services, who, in the opinion of the medical practitioner, is suffering from a condition that may make it dangerous for the person to operate a motor vehicle."

I believe the intent is for medical practitioners to practise due diligence prior to reporting an incident to the ministry. If someone’s medical history and prescribed tests convince the doctor they are not safe to drive, then the doctor should provide a written report to the ministry, as well as a copy to the patient, stating the reason for the determination and the recommendation as to whether the condition can be successfully treated.

Doctors are in an extremely bad position being forced to take part in what is a great injustice for many patients. They know many of the people they report are losing their licences when there is little or no medical evidence to believe they are unsafe to drive.

This insanity has to stop. Someone in authority must find the courage to make changes to a ministry that is destroying, with impunity, the lives of so many citizens. Many to the people I speak with suggest that only the government can make the necessary changes and that I should speak to my MPP. I did. But Guelph MPP Liz Sandals said that, although there are problems, the system is best left alone. In fact, she claims the rules are going to be made stricter.

If the ministry is accurate in its interpretation of the Highway Traffic Act, the citizens of Ontario need to consider the consequences before they seek medical attention. The original medical problem could be much less painful than what the ministry is going to do to them.

"I will NOT take salary for 1st year in office" - Andrew Johnson for Mayor of Cambridge!

Now THIS is something you don't see everyday! Cambridge Mayor's candidate Andrew Johnson has announced that if elected, he will not collect his mayor's salary for his first year in office.

What words can you use to describe this? Leadership, Commitment, Dedication, Action, Guts, Determination... All of the Above? Now THIS is the sort of candidate I can get behind! I'm thinking I need to go a plant some signs for him or something!

That's a massive shot across the bow of current mayor Doug Craig, and some other lady who's running too. Don't think they can hold a candle to Andrew's campaign after that announcement!

GUELPH - CC's DEFINITIVE 2010 Voters Guide

I figured I'd start out with one of the areas I'm more familiar with, the City of Guelph. The OFFICIAL list of all candidates can be found HERE. Below are the candidates that I'm encouraging folks to consider voting for. Remember, Guelph is unique in that each elector can vote for TWO candidates to fill the TWO SEATS per Ward.

MAYOR
Right off the bat, I'm going to generate some controversy, to be sure. My endorsement at the moment for Guelph's Mayor is... NONE. Not that I'm saying "None of the Above", mind you, but I'm saying at present that I'm not endorsing anyone, but reserving the right to change my mind.

There is Dave Birtwistle, who is considered by many to be a "conservative", but here's my problem... I don't think I can support him. In my opinion, based on what I've heard (which may be incorrect) he's part of Guelph's "Old Guard", who think they're still the definitive voice for "conservatism" in Guelph. But that ship sailed many years ago, and they just simply haven't figured it out yet, but have instead been actively seeking to harm the conservative cause as a result. The bigger problem is that though he calls himself a "conservative", he stabbed the local Conservatives in the back by supporting the Liberal candidate, MP Frank Valeriote, to whom the Conservative candidate lost by a mere 1800 votes. Now, Dave's turning around and asking Conservatives for their support. And I have serious issues with candidates like that.

And there's also the fact that in the last four years, Mayor Karen Farbridge, who I used to call "Karen Far-left", has mellowed significantly, after she was ousted in the 2003 election, so there's not much public dissatisfaction with her this time around.

Please note, however, that I may have heard things wrong, and may have some of my facts incorrect, in which case, I'll update this post accordingly. But with what information I have at this time, I can't endorse anyone for the Mayor's chair.

WARD 1
Stay tuned

WARD 2
Stay tuned

WARD 3
1st Seat - More controversy, as I currently endorse... Maggie Laidlaw. She's a left-wing Green supporter, however, she's an INTELLIGENT woman who forms her own opinions, she isn't anyone's lapdog, and while I disagree with her on most issues, she does a solid job of representing her consitituants, many of whom are also left wing. I think Ward 3 would be well served by electing Maggie to represent the left, and a right leaning candidate to represent those in the Ward who don't lean left.

2nd Seat - ABJH = Anybody But June Holfand. I've heard she's an empty suit, nothing but a lapdog for the Mayor. As such, she deserves to be defeated. I'll sift through the other candidates and post who should get the nod shortly.

WARD 4
1st Seat - GLORIA KOVACH. Notice the CAPS? Let me say it again... GLORIA KOVACH. Hands down the best Councilor in the City. Has been re-elected multiple times with huge margins, and is the City's longest serving Councilor. Also a Nurse who works in the area of Mental Health, it was Guelph's loss that she wasn't elected as MP in 2008.

2nd Seat - Cam Guthrie. Long time local politial activist, married father of two, well known and respected insurance broker. Cam is a good friend of mine, and would serve the City well in Ward 4. Some wanted him to run for the Mayor's chair, but I'm glad he decided to get some experience at the Ward level first.

WARD 5
Stay tuned

WARD 6
1st Seat - Todd Dennis. He's been the Chair of the Clairfields Neighbourhood group for several years now, doing good work seeking to address the needs of residents in that area. I've known him for a few years through various people, and he strikes me as one of the best candidates in the City.

2nd Seat - Sue Ricketts. Met her a couple of times, though I can't say I really know her. Been involved in various things for many years, she'd be a much better Councilor than incumbant Karl Wettstein, who likes to call himself a "conservative", but certainly isn't by any stretch of the imagination.

CC's DEFINITIVE Election Guide 2010

If you live in the Waterloo or Wellington Regions, BOOKMARK THIS POST! Over the next few weeks, I'll be compiling the DEFINITIVE guide for voters for the upcoming municipal elections... a listing of who to vote for, who NOT to vote for, and links to information to various candidates in the cities of Guelph, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, the town of Fergus, and various regional councils.

I'll also be hosting an "Other Areas" list of strong candidates for other races in London, Toronto, and other ones that I think should be considered for "conservative" minded voters.

One thing to note, however, is that I won't be simply regurgitating a canned list of "card carrying Conservatives". I will be seeking to sift through the various lists, and endorsing those who I think will be good for the residents of the various cities or wards in question. In fact, I already know that some of my endorsements are likely going to cause some consternation amongst some "conservatives", as I'll be endorsing folks from all over the political spectrum, based on their platforms, personal connections, and suitability to represent the residents of their consitituancies. So stay tuned!

Here is a list of links to my various posts for each city... as I make my postings, I'll activate these links accordingly.

THE DEFINITIVE VOTERS GUIDE FOR:

Guelph
Cambridge
Kitchener
Waterloo (City of)
Waterloo (Region)
Wellington (Region)
Centre-Wellington (Fergus-Elora)
Other Areas (Toronto, London, etc)

For various races, please ensure you direct your comments to the appropriate pages. For those who wish to contact me with new intel or to discuss races I may have overlooked, pleas contact me at cc@christianconservative.ca.

Regardless of whether you agree with my postings or not, don't forget the most important thing... GET OUT AND VOTE!!!

My prediction... Off to the polls we go

Based on today's EKOS numbers, I think the chances of a fall election just jumped SIGNIFICANTLY, especially with some seat projections predicting a Liberal minority.

This being the first glimmer of "hope" for the Liberals in some FIVE YEARS, I'm betting they're not going hesitate to pull the plug. With the projections showing gains for the Bloc, and only marginal potential losses for the NDP, look for the swords to cross as the House returns from the summer break.

The Rt. Hon. Stephen "Capt. Canada" Harper

SWEET PIC... PM Harper sitting in the cockpit of a CF-18. There's no one else I'd rather have at the controls of this great nation of ours.