*March 17, 2017:*

Distracted driving regulations continue to be an area of interest for many
Canadian Radio Amateurs. These regulations are made and enforced by
Provincial governments and can vary considerably from province to province
and over time. Radio Amateurs of Canada has prepared a list of links to
current regulations in all provinces that have established them. They can
be found at: http://wp.rac.ca/distracted-driving-regulations-update/

Radio Amateurs of Canada representatives in our regions often work to
clarify regulations where Amateurs may be caught up in them or when the
regulations are being created or modified. A Subcommittee has been formed
to monitor the legislation and work with government officials on a province
by province basis to look after the interests of Canadian Amateurs. This
committee is under the direction of RAC British Columbia/Yukon Lead, Bill
Gipps, VE7XS. Two provinces are the focus of current activity: British
Columbia and Ontario.

In British Columbia, Bill Gipps, VE7XS, together with two local Amateurs
(Chris Scholefield, VE7QCS and Dave Miller, VE7HR), has met several times
with representatives of the BC Government to discuss BC distracted driving
regulations and their application to Amateur Radio. The BC Amateurs were
pleased with the significant progress made through these sessions and
continued to follow the process while the BC Government engaged other
stakeholders and solicited their input. The process was recently completed
and a new, clarifying document was published by the Government on its
website at:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/dri...riving/publica
tions/electronic-devices-while-driving.pdf.
This document, while not perfect, does address the use of hand microphones
that had been the major issue earlier. It should be printed and kept in
your vehicle along with a copy of your Amateur Radio Operator’s
certificate.

In Ontario, a temporary exemption for Amateurs in Ontario is due to expire
on January 1, 2018. RAC Ontario South Director Phil McBride, VA3QR and RAC
North/East Director, Al Boyd, VE3AJB, have obtained some letters of
support, but more are needed. They are looking for additional letters of
support from organizations that support Amateur Radio communications. We
need to show our Provincial governments the importance of Amateur Radio and
why we require the ability to communicate from our vehicles for public
service events like parades, walk-a-thons, bike rallies and, most
importantly, for emergency communications and Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES) activities that support first responders like Police, Fire
and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). We have been in touch with the
Minister of Transportation's policy advisors and a meeting has been
scheduled for this spring to explain our position and these letters are
needed to provide additional support. We would appreciate it if you would
please forward them to your Regional Director listed below. We have
received word that the Ontario Government is considering the Amateur Radio
exemption issue.

RAC will continue to provide additional information about distracted
driving regulations on the RAC website as it unfolds. If you have any
questions or concerns or you would like to send a letter of support, please
feel free to contact your Director at any time at the address shown on page
4 of *The Canadian Amateur* magazine and on the website at
http://wp.rac.ca/board-of-directors/.

*Allan Munnik, VA7MP/VE7RMP*
*Director British Columbia/Yukon*
Radio Amateurs of Canada
22444 72nd Avenue
Langley, BC V2Y 2K4


*Allan Boyd, VE3AJB*
*Director Ontario North/East*
Radio Amateurs of Canada
27 Red Mill Road, Box 208
Little Current, ON P0P1K0


*Phil McBride, VA3QR*
*Director Ontario South*
Radio Amateurs of Canada
134 Longfield Road
Acton, ON L7J 2K4


*Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA*
*President*
*Radio Amateurs of Canada*


*Alan GriffinRAC MarCom Director*

*wp.rac.ca* http://www.rac.ca/
720 Belfast Road, #217
Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z5
613-244-4367, 1- 877-273-8304