Presse release
Source: Opération escargot

On June 4, Opération Escargot’s citizen motorcyclists met with the Minister of Transport and made the following clear requests:

• A moratorium on the increase of registration fees for 2010
• The abolition of the categorization process
• The presence of a citizen motorcyclist on the SAAQ’s board of directors
• Road safety measures designed to improve the motorcycle accident toll, particularly a review of training procedures
• A study on the economic repercussions of the motorcycle tourism industry for Quebec regions
• That the improvement of the motorcycle accident toll translate into fee reductions the following year

The Opération Escargot movement felt that the Minister was open to these requests and suspended its protest activities in good faith, expecting an answer from the government within a week.

This delay, established by the Minister herself, has now expired and we have received no official government response. The Minister of Transport has knocked the ball back into the SAAQ’s court.

On Thursday, June 18, in a final show of good faith Opération Escargot’s citizen motorcyclists will meet with John Harbour, CEO of the SAAQ, together with the Coalition-Moto (CAPM, FMQ, Promocycle).

It is clear that this meeting must produce results and lead to commitments.

The Minister’s cabinet has promised us an official response following the meeting, on Friday June 19.

It is evident that the citizens will not give up. If the government does not make a firm commitment demonstrating its willingness to listen, the summer will be very hot indeed, as of Quebec’s National Holiday!