HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-05-05, Page 32With the 2011 Spring Seatbelt
Campaign coming to an end, the
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)
have taken a close look at how
attentive Ontario motorists are
being, 35 years after seatbelt laws
were introduced in Ontario.
The annual campaign ran from
April 13 - 23 and during that time,
the OPP maintained a strong
presence on roads and highways
throughout the province, ensuring
that motorists and vehicle occupants
were properly buckled in.
OPP officers paid special attention
to how children were restrained,
making sure that child safety/booster
seats were in accordance with
age, height, weight of the child
and that they were properly
installed.
Preliminary results show that over
the course of the campaign, officers
checked 1,050,329 vehicles, laid a
total of 5,622 charges against drivers
and a further 1,791 charges against
passengers who were not wearing
their seatbelts. A total of 140 charges
were laid against drivers for not
having a properly installed/secured
child restraint.
Over and above the seatbelt
campaign results, OPP statistics
reveal that as of March 2011, lack of
restraint was a causal factor in
almost 900 motor vehicle collision
injuries so far this year and
these numbers concern the
OPP’s traffic safety provincial
commander.
“People continue to endanger their
lives, those of their passengers and
even their children by ignoring
important seatbelt and child restraint
laws. The motoring public should
know that as part of our Provincial
Traffic Safety Program, the OPP
will continue to aggressively enforce
the traffic safety laws throughout
the year, and seatbelt laws will
continue to be at the forefront of our
award-winning strategy,” said OPP
Deputy Commissioner Larry
Beechey, Provincial Commander,
Traffic Safety and Operational
Support.
Seatbelt non-compliance remains
one of the four major causes of
persons killed in fatal motor vehicle
collisions along with speeding,
impaired driving and driving while
distracted.
The OPP are reminding motorists
to take their responsibility as a driver
seriously and ensure that everyone is
buckled up every time they take to
the road.
Continued from page 1
projected, Lobb spoke to a room full
of his supporters, thanking those
who helped him along and assured
the residents of Huron-Bruce that
now is the time for action.
As the crowd chanted his name,
Lobb looked at the big picture,
saying that while Monday night wasa great night for him, it was a moreimportant night for the country.“This was an unwanted, costly
election,” he said. “It was the fourth
election in seven years and it
was an election that nobody
wanted.”
Lobb was teary-eyed when
thanking his wife Andrea, his parents
and his stable of dedicated
volunteers, without whom, he said,
none of his success would have been
possible.
He acknowledged the progress he
made in Bruce County, saying that in
the last election, the Conservatives
lost every poll in Saugeen Shores, anarea in which he won every poll onMonday night.But it wasn’t easy, he said, it took
a lot of hard work and effort on his
part to reach out to those homes in
Bruce County, where he perhaps
wasn’t as well known as he was in
Huron County.
“It was hard work. It’s not easy
door-knocking all day,” Lobb said.
“We were knocking on doors for six
to eight hours a day and then
debating at night.”
Lobb said that in Huron-Bruce, the
candidates focused on running
positive campaigns, something he
was proud to say that he did. He saidthat throughout the election process,he focused on what he and theConservative Party could do for
Huron-Bruce, not on belittling the
“other guy”.
And that positivity, he said, was
reflected in the polls. He also said
that there was additional pressure
and expectation on him after
winning last time out, and that he
was proud he could deliver on those
expectations.
“When you’re the incumbent, your
re-election campaign starts the next
day,” he said as he held back tears.
“We did the right thing.”
PAGE 32. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2011.Lobb credits hard work and clean campaign
Hard work pays off
Re-elected Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb credited hard work
and the dedication of his friends, family and volunteers for
his landslide victory in Monday night’s federal election.
Lobb said that he and his crew spent six to eight hours
each day knocking on doors throughout the riding and then
debating the issues with his fellow candidates at night,
which made for full days over the last few weeks. (Shawn
Loughlin photo)
Due a mandated change in
accounting practice, Central
Huron will be receiving a slight
reduction in its share of the take
from the OLG Slots at the Clinton
Raceway.
As reported by Central Huron
Reeve Jim Ginn at the April 28
Committee of the Whole meeting,
the municipality will be facing an
approximate three per cent reduction
in the amount of money it receives
from the casino (a loss that would
total approximately $19,000 per
year).
The municipality has historically
received approximately $600,000
per year from the commission since
OLG Slots first opened its doors in
Clinton.
Ginn said that there is a
conference call with OLG on May 6
to further explain the legal mandate
that is dictating this change in fund
allocation.
Ginn said that he was concerned
about this loss of income and was
prepared to speak with several
representatives of other
municipalities who have said that
they too are concerned.
Ginn said that earlier that day he
had spoke with the Mayor of Sarnia,
who said he is in the process of
gauging interest over the issue,
bringing together concerned
municipalities and eventually
presenting a united front to OLG to
voice these concerns.
Ginn said Central Huron would
most definitely be a part of that
front, to which the rest of council
agreed.
OPP wraps annual
seatbelt campaign
Central Huron’s share of
OLG revenue to decrease
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Read Rhea Hamilton Seeger’s
Gardening column
on the
Huron Home and Garden
Guide
section of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
Get wedding advice
and tips, see a case
study and read about
local brides on the
Brides in Huron
section
of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca