idreamofmazda
10-20-2004, 01:33 PM
Can anyone believe this crap? Some woman in Toronto didn’t know the no-left turn sign meant no left, as it wasn’t bilingual, but she doesn’t know much French? I would like to see her drive in Montreal; one could run a red, and argue they didn’t know the light was red, as the traffic sign was sideways. This is total BS if they expect the city to pay for the updating of our traffic signs to French and English. Here is the story from canada.com:
French S.V.P., we\\\'re Toronto anglos
Lawyer beats traffic ticket because sign not bilingual
Nicholas Kohler
National Post
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
TORONTO - A resourceful rookie lawyer got one of his law firm bosses off the hook for a traffic ticket by arguing an English-only no-left-turn sign on Bay Street was invalid -- even though his client is not fluent in French.
The decision could mean financial disaster for Toronto, as city officials scramble to either have the decision reversed on appeal or face Frenching up all of the city\\\'s signage as a result.
Jennifer Myers, a criminal lawyer with the Pinkofskys law firm, earned herself a ticket from a waiting police cruiser after she made an illegal left turn in Toronto\\\'s financial district in January.
Enter Daniel Brown, a 26-year-old Queen\\\'s University law graduate articling at Ms. Myers\\\' law firm. It was the intrepid Mr. Brown who, while combing through the requisite legislation, discovered a loophole that -- in legal parlance -- you could drive a truck through (literally).
Presented with Mr. Brown\\\'s arguments, a justice of the peace tossed Ms. Myers\\\' ticket out on Monday, ruling the sign was invalid because it was not written in both French and English -- as required by two provincial laws: the Highway Traffic Act and the French Language Services Act.
Indeed, Justice of the Peace Alice Napier said the city of Toronto had been \\\'\\\'negligent\\\'\\\' in not posting a bilingual sign, despite the fact Ms. Myers is an anglophone who does not speak fluent French.
Not so, say city officials in unison with their Mayor, David Miller, who yesterday announced city hall will appeal the decision, which would spell big money -- in any language -- should it stand.
To wit: hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of traffic signs dot Toronto, with each representing manufacturing and installation costs of some $200, city spokesman Brad Ross said yesterday.
The French Language Services Act designates Toronto, as well as 22 other Ontario municipalities -- including Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Mississauga -- as areas where French language services must be made available.
Mr. Ross maintained, however, that, contrary to Monday\\\'s winning argument, the French Language Services Act applies in Toronto only to provincial government services.
Street signs would be covered only if Toronto city council chose to opt into the act by passing a by-law -- something it has not done. As a result, \\\"the city feels strongly it has great grounds for appeal,\\\'\\\' Mr. Ross said.
Ms. Myers\\\' ticket carried a fine and would have resulted in the loss of two points from her driver\\\'s licence -- not to mention the impact on her insurance premiums.
Knowing his only defence was that the traffic sign was somehow defective, Mr. Brown conceded all the facts to the police officer during night court on Monday.
\\\'\\\'What we did take exception to was whether or not she was bound to comply with that sign,\\\'\\\' Mr. Brown said yesterday.
Mr. Brown submitted she was not.
\\\'\\\'She\\\'s only obligated to abide by lawful signs in the city,\\\'\\\' he said, adding the lack of French on the sign in question made it invalid.
\\\'\\\'It\\\'s certainly not frivolous at all,\\\'\\\' maintained Mr. Brown, suggesting the legislation in question represents the importance of the French language and culture in Ontario.
\\\'\\\'The issue, yes, might be trivial -- but the principles behind it are quite significant.\\\'\\\'
French S.V.P., we\\\'re Toronto anglos
Lawyer beats traffic ticket because sign not bilingual
Nicholas Kohler
National Post
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
TORONTO - A resourceful rookie lawyer got one of his law firm bosses off the hook for a traffic ticket by arguing an English-only no-left-turn sign on Bay Street was invalid -- even though his client is not fluent in French.
The decision could mean financial disaster for Toronto, as city officials scramble to either have the decision reversed on appeal or face Frenching up all of the city\\\'s signage as a result.
Jennifer Myers, a criminal lawyer with the Pinkofskys law firm, earned herself a ticket from a waiting police cruiser after she made an illegal left turn in Toronto\\\'s financial district in January.
Enter Daniel Brown, a 26-year-old Queen\\\'s University law graduate articling at Ms. Myers\\\' law firm. It was the intrepid Mr. Brown who, while combing through the requisite legislation, discovered a loophole that -- in legal parlance -- you could drive a truck through (literally).
Presented with Mr. Brown\\\'s arguments, a justice of the peace tossed Ms. Myers\\\' ticket out on Monday, ruling the sign was invalid because it was not written in both French and English -- as required by two provincial laws: the Highway Traffic Act and the French Language Services Act.
Indeed, Justice of the Peace Alice Napier said the city of Toronto had been \\\'\\\'negligent\\\'\\\' in not posting a bilingual sign, despite the fact Ms. Myers is an anglophone who does not speak fluent French.
Not so, say city officials in unison with their Mayor, David Miller, who yesterday announced city hall will appeal the decision, which would spell big money -- in any language -- should it stand.
To wit: hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of traffic signs dot Toronto, with each representing manufacturing and installation costs of some $200, city spokesman Brad Ross said yesterday.
The French Language Services Act designates Toronto, as well as 22 other Ontario municipalities -- including Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Mississauga -- as areas where French language services must be made available.
Mr. Ross maintained, however, that, contrary to Monday\\\'s winning argument, the French Language Services Act applies in Toronto only to provincial government services.
Street signs would be covered only if Toronto city council chose to opt into the act by passing a by-law -- something it has not done. As a result, \\\"the city feels strongly it has great grounds for appeal,\\\'\\\' Mr. Ross said.
Ms. Myers\\\' ticket carried a fine and would have resulted in the loss of two points from her driver\\\'s licence -- not to mention the impact on her insurance premiums.
Knowing his only defence was that the traffic sign was somehow defective, Mr. Brown conceded all the facts to the police officer during night court on Monday.
\\\'\\\'What we did take exception to was whether or not she was bound to comply with that sign,\\\'\\\' Mr. Brown said yesterday.
Mr. Brown submitted she was not.
\\\'\\\'She\\\'s only obligated to abide by lawful signs in the city,\\\'\\\' he said, adding the lack of French on the sign in question made it invalid.
\\\'\\\'It\\\'s certainly not frivolous at all,\\\'\\\' maintained Mr. Brown, suggesting the legislation in question represents the importance of the French language and culture in Ontario.
\\\'\\\'The issue, yes, might be trivial -- but the principles behind it are quite significant.\\\'\\\'