'The doors aren't closed' Leblanc says on Canada-U.S. trade deal
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Globe and Mail
24 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Alberta targets predatory tow-truck drivers with exclusion zones, fines
Alberta's government is creating fines and rules meant to curb predatory tow-truck drivers. Starting Friday, there will be 200-metre exclusion zones around accident scenes for tow-truck operators, who must stay back unless police or drivers involved say otherwise or face a $1,000 fine. At a Wednesday news conference, Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen said the government has heard concerns about tow-truck drivers showing up at car accidents and pressuring those involved to unnecessarily accept their services. In some cases, he said, tow-truck drivers have charged excessive fees and withheld necessary information from those whose vehicles were towed. 'The last thing someone needs at a collision scene is to be harassed by dishonest tow-truck drivers, pressuring them to agree to towing services,' Dreeshen said. 'These changes penalize bad actors in the tow-truck industry and shield Albertans from unethical practices.' Edmonton police Insp. Angela Kemp, speaking alongside Dreeshen, said the force has been aware of predatory towing for years. Kemp said it has been difficult to assess the scale of the problem, as police rely on self-reporting, but there have been more reports of it in recent years as people become aware. She gave two examples of police charging tow-truck companies. Police arrest 18 in Greater Toronto tow truck bust Extortions, arsons targeting South Asian businesses on the rise, Edmonton police warn In October, a company was charged with theft over $5,000 for allegedly refusing to release a vehicle it had towed unless it received a fee from an insurance company. In May, the owners of 10 towing companies were charged with fraud, Kemp said. 'During this investigation, police discovered that numerous tow-truck companies in Edmonton were reportedly fraudulently billing insurance companies for services that were not provided,' she said. 'Police also learned that these companies were allegedly inflating bills, including charges to insurance companies of upwards of over $5,000 for basic collision tows.' The government's new rules are nearly identical to a bylaw passed earlier this year by Calgary city council, though the city's fine can be up to $10,000. Dreeshen said the province's fine is lower because the government is trying to set a basic standard to ensure Albertans have the same protection. He said the government's rules are a first step and further measures could be taken, such as following Ontario in developing a mandatory code of conduct and certification process for tow truck drivers. 'The government of Alberta will continue working with industry and other stakeholders to explore additional solutions.'
National Post
24 minutes ago
- National Post
Court ruling declaring removal of bike lanes unconstitutional is 'ridiculous': Doug Ford
THORNHILL — Ontario Premier Doug Ford teed off Wednesday on a court decision declaring his law to remove three Toronto bike lanes unconstitutional, calling it the 'most ridiculous' ruling he has ever seen. Article content Ford has already said his government plans to appeal, even as it works on a compromise with the city to both keep the bike lanes and add extra lanes for vehicle traffic. Article content Article content He said he has faith that the Court of Appeal will overturn the lower-court ruling, but in the event it does not, he did not rule out using the notwithstanding clause to save the law. Article content Article content 'Let's see what happens at the Court of Appeals, and then we'll go from there, but I have confidence in the courts,' Ford said at an unrelated transit announcement. Article content Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Schabas ruled the lane removals would put people at an 'increased risk of harm and death' and violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Article content He noted that the government had received advice from experts, reports from Toronto officials and evidence from the city and elsewhere that removing bike lanes 'will not achieve the asserted goal' of the law, to reduce traffic. Article content Ford made the removal of bike lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue a campaign issue during the snap election he called and won in February, and he says the judge's ruling tramples on people's democratic rights. Article content Article content 'This is the most ridiculous decision I've ever seen,' he said. Article content Article content 'I've never seen a decision like this, that a judge overrules the people of Ontario because of ideology — not because of law — ideology, but we knew when they picked this judge where it was going anyway, so it's not a big surprise.' Article content It's not the first time Ford has called judges' integrity into question. In April he blasted judges he perceives as being soft on crime, and floated ideas such as electing judges and offering them payouts to retire early. Article content
Globe and Mail
24 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
US Open singles champs to get a record $5-million in 2025
Prize money at the US Open will rise to nearly US$85-million across all competitions this year, including a record US$5-million each to the women's and men's singles champions, and total player compensation is jumping 20 per cent to US$90-million, the most in tennis history. The U.S. Tennis Association announced the payouts Wednesday for the year's last Grand Slam tournament, which begins with the new mixed doubles event and its US$1-million top check on Aug. 19-20. Singles competition starts on a Sunday for the first time — Aug. 24 — as those brackets expand from 14 days to 15. The increases at Flushing Meadows — where last year's total compensation was US$75-million — come as the sport's leading players have been in discussions with each of the four major tournaments in a bid to receive a higher percentage of revenues at the US Open, Wimbledon, French Open and Australian Open. Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff and 2024 US Open champions Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner were among 20 players who signed a letter sent to the heads of the four Grand Slam events in March seeking more prize money and a greater say in what they called 'decisions that directly impact us.' Since then, some players have held talks with the majors. The previous high amount for a US Open singles championship was US$3.85-million in 2019, before decreasing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's US$5-million check represents a 39 per cent hike from last year's US$3.6-million. The same percentage increase was applied to the singles runners-up, who get US$2.5-million each. Semi-finalists will earn US$1.26-million, a 26 per cent rise. At Wimbledon, which ended last month, prize money went up about seven per cent to about US$73-million at the exchange rate when the All England Club announced its player payments. The singles champions were paid about US$4-million apiece. In New York, the winning teams in women's and men's doubles will receive US$1-million, a new high for those events at the US Open, where total prizes for qualifying are going up to US$8-million, a 10 per cent increase. The US$85-million in 2025 US Open prize money includes singles, doubles, qualifying and wheelchair events. Wednesday's news comes after the USTA said in May that its main arena, Arthur Ashe Stadium, would be overhauled as part of a US$800-million project touted as the 'largest single investment' in US Open history.
