Latest news with #GuyBourgouin
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Northern politician to table bill to prevent motorists from passing on double yellow highway lines
Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin plans to table a bill that make it illegal for motorists to pass on double yellow lines. Northern politician to table bill to prevent motorists from passing on double yellow highway lines A northern Ontario MPP plans to table a new bill that would make it illegal for motorists to pass each other on double solid yellow highway lines. Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin of the NDP is bringing attention to a highway safety concern. He told CTV News he once had no idea it was legal to pass on double yellow highway lines. 'In Ontario, the province of Ontario, the solid lines in the middle are a suggestion and yes when a situation happens officers can charge you but not with that; they charge you with careless driving,' said Bourgouin. He said after seeing videos online of people passing dangerously on double lines and meeting with truck drivers and police officers, he has decided to table a bill at Queen's Park. He's calling it 'Chad's Law' after one of his constituents who was seriously hurt in a collision on Highway 11, near Kapuskasing. 'On this bill, I'm saying they could be charged $400 and lose up to a minimum of four (demerit) points,' Bourgouin said. 'It'll give more power to OPP.' The MPP said a similar exists in other provinces such as Quebec. Chad Belanger doesn't remember much of the head-on collision he survived in January 2022, but he thinks the bill is a good idea. 'Well to be honest I'm happy about it,' said Belanger. 'Anything that could possibly save a life – it's a good thing to me,' he said. Bourgouin plans to table 'Chad's Law' on Nov. 21.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Northern Ont. MPP calls for increased winter training for truckers
A northern Ontario MPP was at Queen's Park on Tuesday calling for increased winter training for commercial truck drivers. A Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from northern Ontario presented a bill at Queen's Park calling for increased winter driving training for truckers. Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin presented a private members' bill on Tuesday to increase safety on northern Ontario highways. The bill would see an additional 20 hours of simulated training geared toward winter driving for A and D licence commercial truck drivers. 'What we're seeing right now is that we have a lot of inexperienced drivers who have never driven during harsh winter road conditions,' he said. During the media conference, Bourgouin was accompanied by Travis McDougall, co-founder of advocacy group Truckers for Safer Highways. McDougall said he's also seeing a lot of inexperienced truck drivers on the road. 'Too many drivers are entering the industry without the essential skills to navigate our harsh winter conditions,' he said. 'They lack the knowledge of how a truck behaves on icy roads, how to adjust their driving techniques and the importance of recognizing their limits. It's putting countless lives at risk.' McDougall said many are leaving the industry due to safety concerns and unsustainable conditions. 'As a truck driver, I see reckless driving, poor decision making and a lack of respect for the road,' he said. 'We, as truck drivers used to be called 'brothers of the highway.' Now, it would be more realistic to call us 'survivors of the highway.'' Danny Whalen, president of the Federation of Northern Municipalities (FONOM), used to serve as co-chair of the Northern Ontario Transportation Task Force. He said increased training was something many advocated for. 'Many of the drivers that are coming through northern Ontario are hitting their first snowstorm and they've never seen anything like that before,' Whalen said. 'So, this new private member's bill, we fully support the draft, sent in a letter of support for it and we think it's a great, great step forward.' Adam Delamorandiere, head of driver training for Northern Academy of Transport Training, said simulated training has its downfalls because it can't prepare for all weather conditions and circumstances. 'It's very, very difficult for me to say that I wholeheartedly agree with an additional 20 hours of simulated winter driving,' Delamorandiere said. 'But, again, I do also favour the side of additional training and anything over and above is always going to help.' He added he would like to see more benefits from the additional training built into a program offered by driving schools strictly in the winter, where students could receive in-truck training with a coach.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Northern MPP pushes bill to boost safety on northern Ont. highways
NDP MPP Guy Bourgouin tabled a bill to improve safety on northern Ontario's Highways 11 and 17, proposing extended truck inspections, stricter licensing tests and more OPP enforcement. Municipal leaders say the province ignores the routes' dangers. The legislation will be debated this fall.
CTV News
03-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Military assistance requested to help with Far North flood evacuations
A northern Ontario MPP is calling on the Canadian Armed Forces to assist in evacuations as severe flooding threatens two First Nations communities along the James Bay coast. Guy Bourgouin, MPP for Mushkegowuk-James Bay, formally requested military support in a letter to Ontario's Solicitor General, Michael Kerzner, and Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Jill Dunlop, on Friday. The letter cited critical flooding in both Fort Albany First Nation and Kashechewan First Nation, which has forced large-scale evacuations. Kashechewan's airport road was submerged as of Thursday, forcing residents to be flown by helicopter to neighbouring Fort Albany, which is on higher ground. However, Fort Albany is now also facing flooding, prompting its own evacuation. Approximately 200 people were flown to Cochrane on Wednesday, with more flights planned before Fort Albany paused its evacuations Thursday to assist Kashechewan evacuees. On social media on Friday, Fort Albany First Nation reported that a Ministry of Natural Resources surveillance flight found no remaining ice in key sections of the Albany and Kenogami Rivers, though ice near Marten Falls had not yet broken up. Officials warned it could take two days for ice to reach the community. Anderson Causeway breached Early in the morning on Saturday, May 3, 2025, the Anderson Causeway was breached, allowing water to flow in from the main Albany River, furthering flooding in the Far North communities of Kashechewan and Fort Albany. (Source: Fort Albany First Nation/Facebook | Photo credit: Kanisha Stephen) By Saturday, the Anderson Causeway had been breached, allowing water from the Albany River to flow in. Residents were urged to prepare emergency supplies and boats, with the school gymnasium designated as a shelter. Fort Albany First Nation Chief Elizabeth Kataquapit has also requested military support to manage evacuations for both communities. In his letter, Bourgouin emphasized the urgency, writing, 'Please, Ministers, employ the powers and resources accorded to you to assist in organizing this effort.' The MNR continues to monitor conditions and will provide updates as the situation develops. Evacuees in the region are typically flown south to wait out flood season in hotels – a routine occurrence for Kashechewan, which has evacuated annually for over a decade.
CBC
18-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Official recount results still to come in northern Ontario riding, but Conservatives say the NDP won
Elections Ontario says it has completed its recount in the riding of Mushkegowuk-James Bay. But the agency says it won't be releasing the official results for a few days, in case there is an appeal. However, the campaign team for Progressive Conservative candidate Dave Plourde says the recount confirmed they lost to New Democrat Guy Bourgouin, and don't plan on filing an appeal. After the Feb. 28 vote in the far north riding, Bourgouin— who has held the seat since it was created in 2017— was ahead by eight votes. The riding, which includes the towns of Kapuskasing and Hearst, is the smallest in Ontario with just 18,755 voters, only 42 per cent of whom cast a ballot in this recent provincial election.
