I’m Bill Kingston with today’s commentary. There’s new provincial rules coming down the pipe for distracted driving, lights on bicycles and better respect for cyclists on the road with a one-meter rule. How nice it is of the province to plunk these new tools down on police services, including the Cornwall police and SD&G O.P.P., but there’s no money to go along with it to enforce them. Let’s be honest, these laws were passed to make this provincial government look like it’s doing something – and to make money. And practically none of these new fines will ever be enforced. Let’s get real. We have one police officer – ONE – assigned to traffic duty full-time and other officers on a casual basis. Do you honestly think he’s going to have the time to chase down motorists who come to close to cyclists? No. The fact is there’s been no new meaningful investment in policing since the McGuinty government in 2006 rolled out the 1,000 Officers Partnership Program and put more boots on the streets. And with a provincial government now with no money, beefing up the local police or O.P.P. isn’t going to happen anytime soon.
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