I see you are intent for a response. What kind of response are you expecting? That all of a sudden I am gonna say that was a great deal? Dream on. We, the people in the Province of Ontario, are being royally screwed! I am some how supposed to see some good in this deal when I still have complaints rolling into my website of this toll highway abusing their power. Pffft...

It's hardly surprising Tammy Flores didn't reply. I really couldn't glean what the heck her organization was about from the talk show video posted on her website. Something about getting the correct documentation on your toll bill?.......Not sure.... I couldn't seem to get to the bottom of it. Matters made worse by the fact that the interviewer seemed to be the one putting forth most of the issues.

Anyhow, until taxpayers can galvanize their efforts in creating a referendum on expropriation OR at least one-half of 1% of motorists - as per the necessary critical mass for rebellion and social change implementation sociology theories - refuse to pay their 407 bills, NOTHING will happen.

Oh, my goodness, my goodness! I wouldn't know where to begin. I really wouldn't. Some people might call that a deal, including the government, to save face; but "sellout" is the only proper name I can come up with.

I was already quite aware of those "mutual concessions," but they're completely out of the ambit of what I'd call a settlement.

Denise Peletier, the 407ETR ombudsman, is a recycled bill collector who personally termed anyone who refuses to go along with their tolls "a deadbeat."

10% to 15% savings over the next 4 years? Savings off what? Off the outrageous increases they were going to foist on us anyway? Not to mention the "savings" that were to be offset by the throng of hidden appeal and criminal administration surcharges they secretly intended to (and did) tack on.

I know the Liberal government, in order to save face, said it was good deal for motorists; and the 407ETR was only too happy (with a big sigh of relief) to correspondingly chime in that it was a good deal for their foreign owned corporation as well.

No, by a real settlement, I meant that the government must reverse the Mike Harris - Ernie Eves "Common Sense Revolution" decision to sell off the highway - a decision which was inherently flawed and should never have been made in the first place. A decision which was going to shaft Canadians for the next 99 years! The only solution was to expropriate the property, and return the Spanish consortium's 3.1 billion dollars (along with something for their time and trouble), and send them packing back to Spain and Australia.

Let them shaft their own countrymen, if they wanted - but leave Canadians alone! Ontario taxpayers have paid for the 1.6 billion construction costs many, many, many, many times over through their outrageous fuel taxes. And now, they're going to have to suffer having a foreign conglomerate gouge them for the next 99 years! Unfortunately, much of the fuel tax went into government gold plated pensions, not the highway renewal projects they were intended for. Only 2 to 5% was actually allocated to roadbuilding and maintenace. And that's a good deal? For who?

Earlier on [in this forum], on a 407ETR thread, there's a pretty good analysis by another blogger showing the Canarsi Indians, who sold Manhattan Island to the Dutch for $24 in 1623, even when considering the current astronomical land prices, actually got a better deal than Ontario Motorists. Common Sense Revolution? Or Senseless Revolution?

Most of the remaining points of the "settlement" below are such an insult to intelligence, they're too onerous to even comment on, a case in point being "the Hardship Program."

Getting plate denial rescinded in bankruptcy is hardly what I'd call a victory. You might not have a car left after that anyway.
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Ontario government & 407ETR announce settlement
Posted on Fri, 2006-03-31 21:06

If this had come out twelve hours later it would have been taken for an April 1 spoof. The province of Ontario and 407ETR say this afternoon (Mar 31) they have settled their differences. Really! The province will wind up its multiple law suits against the Toronto tollroad concessionaire, while the tollroad will:

* institute frequent-user toll discounts of 10 to 15% over four years

* spend $34m (C$40m) on a benefits program for 100k customers

* appoint an ombudsman to adjudicate customer disputes

* hold off collection agent actions and credit reporting pending dispute resolution

* improve information to customers on their appeal options

* give truckers multi-tiered discounts for night-time and off-peak use, and reduce or eliminate video toll charges

* increase highway capacity by a third and ten years ahead of schedule

* provide a repayment plan to lift license plate denial for hardship violator cases

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/1484

What do you mean, they didn't lose that court case? How did they settle?
You don't settle an appeal application; you either get one or you don't.

I can understand how some may interpret what happened with the court decision in 2006, however, it's my goal to educate people that the government did not lose that court case. They decided to settle for a reason that is unknown to me. I believe we can do something about this.

That's a great website. Unfortunately, nothing will change until the government takes over the 407. On Nov. 7, 2005, The 407 ETR won back the right, in Ontario Divisional Court, to have the MTO, under Liberal Transportation Minister, Harinder Takhar, reinstate plate denial for defaulted tolls. It went through on a narrow 2-1 decision. A subsequent leave to appeal by his Ministry was denied by the Ontario Court of Appeals, on Feb. 24, 2006.

Just think how millions of lives were negatively impacted by the decision of one judge; one person. Nothing but nothing will change until that ruling is overturned. Courts are very, very loathe to overturn valid business contracts as they form the basis of society. The only chance motorists have is for the provincial government to expropriate the land and its improvements on the basis of severe emergency need.

When I spoke to MTO brass shortly after the reversal, outside of Takhar's office, there seemd to be complete disinterest in the issue. They didn't want to rock the boat. Maybe, they had their pensions to consider; I dunno. Taking the road more travelled, they resigned themselves to serving as a collection agency for the 407. The slippery slope. Shortly thereafer, they started selling information on vehilcle owners to any collection agency, for any reason. As long as they collected the fees.

Hope that motorist is able to save up the $17.3 trillion dollars by the time the lease expires. It's only $3 trillion more than the current U.S. deficit.

Just thought I would update our efforts here. http://407etr-abuseofpower.com/law-suit-re407-etr-bankruptcy/ If you have tried to claim bankruptcy and the 407 ETR has kept you in Plate Denial please contact the lawfirm in our notice.

We have been working hard at holding the 407 ETR accountable to us, the people. This is only the beginning.

Thanks Tammy. I'll contact you through your website.

Hi! I just got an email nudging me about this forum. I guess I posted here a while ago. I completely understand your frustration. We are in the process of trying to put together a lawsuit as we speak. Also, we are gathering together associations to lend voice for the government to revisit what they started in 2004 and stopped half way with. If you want more information you can contact me through our website Stop the 407 ETR's Abuse of Power or our facebook page with the same name.